Overtime
by missmargo
Summary: Bella Swan is the writer of a women's magazine assigned to write an article about the women behind professional hockey players. She finds herself in a strange city immersed in the world of professional hockey. What happens when the team's superstar forward, Edward Cullen, comes into the picture? They are in for an NHL season filled with drama...on and off the ice. E/B AU All human.
1. Prologue - Unwanted Opporunity

Hey everyone. Thanks for checking out this story!

I'm sure some of you are reading this after reading my recently posted story, Meet Me on the Midway. I got such a fast and positive reaction to that story that it made me get my butt in gear to post this one.

Here's a synopsis that's a bit longer than the one on the front page:

**Bella Swan is a writer for a Women's Magazine in Florida, a magazine that she writes the self help column for...Something she really wants to escape. The good news, she is escaping self help, the bad news, she's covering the lives of women behind sports stars...In Denver.**

**Here she meets three amazing women; the girlfriend, fiance, and wife to two players and the coach of the team... but what will happen when the team superstar...and coaches nephew, Edward, takes an interest in Bella? Can the two get past their differences and find a way to make it together? **

Overtime means a lot to me. It's actually my FIRST Twilight fan fiction; I wrote it a couple years ago. The reason I didn't post it first, before Midway, was because when I started this story I did not have a Beta at all. I found a great one around chapter 15 or 16, so after that, it will be better edited. I've tried to re-read and edit again, but it still might not be perfect. If there are some errors in the first few chapters, I apologize in advance.

The entire story is posted on Twilighted, if anyone cannot wait for me to edit, you can read it there. If you don't like or don't use twilighted, I promise to get it up as fast as possible.

So...I'm Canadian, so naturally, I LOVE hockey...and that's the inspiration behind this story (obviously). I think that Edward, Emmett, and Jasper would be amazing hockey players...and amazingly hot as hockey players!

Also...I own nothing of Twilight...or the NHL.

So here it is... hope you like it!

Prologue -

"Sports? You have me covering sports?" Isabella Swan stormed into the office of her boss at Women Today Magazine.

"It's not really sports. We are doing a feature on the wives, girlfriends, mothers—women of sports figures it is a new monthly feature. You will have headline articles for almost a year's worth of magazines. It's only ten months because of the off-season. It's a part in the new section 'Women of Our Nation'." Angela, her boss replied. "I thought you were looking to get out of the self help writing?"

"Yeah, Jessica gets an interview with the first lady, and I get trophy wives?" Bella countered. "I don't even like sports."

"I chose you for this part because I know you can do it, and because it is ten two-page articles in the magazine. Bella, this is a big break. You will basically be shadowing the women behind these players and writing about their lives. We are trying to showcase different women in different roles across the nation. Sports are one area that we are tapping into."

"I know what the section is about, but do you really think I can write anything closely related to sports—even if it isn't about the sport itself?"

"You don't really need to know about sports in general—just hockey," Angela replied.

Bella resisted the urge to jump across the table and strangle her boss. "Yeah, just hockey," the sarcasm was obvious in her voice but Angela didn't even blink. "You know that's no better," Bella added quickly.

"Sarah is doing tennis, would you like me to switch it?"

"No," Bella replied. "That still counts as sports."

"That's good, because I wouldn't have switched you anyway. Bella, this is a big deal. Other writers would kill for this. When the year is done, you can write in any area of the magazine you want. You need to prove you belong there first."

"Anywhere on the magazine?"

"Anywhere. No more self-help questions."

Bella nodded, and Angela thought she might have her hooked. "It's a pretty good deal too, the team is looking for the good exposure and the opportunity to open up to more female fans. It's a good story, the coach's son and nephew that he raised play on the team, and his daughter is the long-time girlfriend of the goalie. His wife is the agent for them all."

"Fun," Bella replied sarcastically.

Angela didn't want to lose Bella's focus again so she decided to bring up the perks of the job. "Don't complain. The team is paying for you to stay in a nice apartment, do some travelling with the team, and supplying you with a car. They are putting you up for almost a year—paying for almost everything. You'll be living above your means for the next ten months. They are sparing no expense." Bella's face seemed to brighten a bit, she was sure she had her hooked now. "Besides, Denver is a nice city."

"Sure it...Wait, _Denver_? As in _Colorado_?" Her eyes were wide open and her jaw dropped.

She'd lost her again.

"What other Denver is there?" Angela asked with a hint of annoyance.

Bella looked out the window that overlooked the beautiful Miami waterfront and took a deep breath. "So you are telling me I have to spend the next year, including the winter, in the mountains, where there is snow, and ice, and cold, watching _hockey_?" Angela crossed her arms refusing to answer. "There are hockey teams in warm climates, you could send me to Tampa, or Dallas, or Phoenix, or Los Angeles, but no, I'm going to Denver." Angela still didn't reply. Bella took another deep breath, "What's the salary increase?"

"Twenty percent." Not bad, Bella thought... but Denver.

"Christmas bonus?" She tried again.

"Also increasing."

Another good thing, but again, Bella vaguely remembered her dad watching hockey right up until Christmas as a kid. What good is extra money if you're stuck in a blizzard and can't spend it?

"Holidays?"

"The team will pay for you to fly home at Christmas if you want to." If she wanted to? Ha! She tried to see the hint of a joke on Angela's face, but it wasn't there.

"First Class?" She knew she was pushing it now.

"I'll see what I can do."

Bella grudgingly nodded and went to the office door.

"There is a short bio on your desk of the family."

Bella didn't acknowledge that she had heard Angela, walked out and closed the door behind her.

Jessica came over to Bella when she got out of the office. "I'm so excited about my piece, the first lady, wow, it's amazing. Yours sounds pretty fun too. I hear Denver's nice. Are you excited?"

Jessica Stanley, Bella decided, definitely needed to be punched in the face.

"Go fuck yourself," Bella replied and headed for her desk. Now that felt good.

Hey! So what do you think? Please review and tell me!


	2. Chapter 1 - A Not-So-Hot Start

Hello!

If you made it this far it means you liked the prologue, so that's good. I wanted to mention that I KNOW it is not permanently cold in Denver...it's a gorgeous city, and I love visiting there. I say some not-so-nice things about Denver in this chapter, but just keep in mind that Bella lives in Miami and hates winter. (also keep in mind that I'm from Canada, so I have heard all kinds of weather misconceptions about northern climates).

Also, I am not a fan of the Colorado Avalanche (but good for them for their upcoming draft pick). I picked Colorado for the simple reason that it was a team that I don't love/hate. I wanted to pick a team that I didn't have strong emotions for. In case anyone cares... I am a huge Calgary Flames fan!

Enjoy!

Chapter 1 –

Bella looked at her watch for the fourth time in as many minutes. She was sitting in the back seat of a cab in which the driver was playing some sort of rap music that was not in English. She was getting chills from the air conditioner on high blast, and the traffic jam in front of them was going to make her late.

"I have a plane to catch. It takes off in an hour and a half. I should be at the airport by now," she rambled at the driver, knowing full well they were pretty much stuck.

"What you want me do? Fly over car accident?" he asked in a deep accent Bella couldn't quite place—possibly some kind of Eastern European.

"I know, I'm just really worried about missing this flight. I've got a new job in a new city that I'm really not familiar with. I write for a magazine, you see, and they've just started this new section about sports wives. I know nothing about sports so..."

"I find side-street," he cut her off.

Bella was pretty sure he just wanted to cut her rambling short.

"Ok, thank you," Bella replied and sat back against the seat. She looked to her left and her right, she had two suitcases in the trunk and a duffel bag and carry-on sitting next to her in the car. She decided it was pretty sad that she was able to pack her life into four bags...Well, three, the carry-on didn't really count, she only had spare underwear and a toothbrush in there; just in case all the rest of her luggage got lost.

The cab driver turned down an alley and found its way onto a smaller street that was busier than it usually would be, but at least it was moving.

It still took another half hour to get to the airport. Bella paid the cab driver and gave him a good tip for getting her there. They'd probably still be in traffic if they had stayed on the main road. She loaded her bags onto a trolley and walked inside the terminal; deciding to speed up the process, she went straight to a staff member.

"Hi, where do I check in for United Airline Flight 265 to Denver?" she asked a sweet looking old man whose name was apparently Albert.

"United? That'll be over in concourse J; you're in concourse D right now. It's mostly American Airlines flights going out of here," he replied sweetly.

Bella blinked and bit her lip to prevent screaming—she was pretty sure it was a bad idea to make a big scene at the airport. "How do I get to concourse J's check in?" He pointed and she was gone. She couldn't believe she was running, her, Bella Swan, running to catch a flight to Denver of all places.

After running for what seemed like forever, and almost hitting an old lady and a group of teens on a high school trip, Bella made it to the check in, where there was a huge line for a later flight.

"Excuse me?" She called to a staff member; she was completely out of breath. "Whe...Where can I check in for 265 to Denver?"

"Denver? You're cutting it pretty close for that flight Miss."

She nodded her agreement; couldn't he tell that she knew that from the running across the airport?

"I know, there was traffic and my cab dropped me off wrong. Please please please tell me the flight is not closed," Bella begged. This trip was becoming her own personal hell, and she was beginning to think that these were signs that she should not be going to Denver. Angela wouldn't buy it; Bella knew that.

But if the flight was closed... "Nope, not closed yet, let me see your confirmation and get you on board."

No such luck. The check in was quick and another airport employee accompanied her to security where she was rushed to the front of the extremely long line. She received some pretty harsh looks from the crowd who had probably been waiting forever.

After a quick trip through security—where she realized that packing spare underwear might be smart, but only if you packed it in the bottom of the bag, not at the top where the whole room would see it when your bag was searched—she made it to the gate as they were calling final boarding.

"Looks like you just made it Miss...Swan." The friendly airline employee smiled as she tore the ticket. Bella thanked her and walked down the hallway that took her to the plane.

She was just getting to the airplane door where she tripped over the uneven floor between the hallway and the airplane and landed with her face about two inches away from the flight attendants shoe. All the while making a nice yelp as she fell so anyone in rows ten or forward could hear her. Her face, she knew, must have turned beet red. The flight attendant helped her up and grabbed her carry-on for her. She was directed to her seat, which she just realized was in the fourth row; apparently Angela had come through on the first class thing. That was good news at least.

She got into her seat and looked out the window one last time at the sun and beauty of Miami. She loved it here—the heat and the beach right around the corner; it was her own personal heaven. Denver on the other hand, it was the mountains; mountains are cold. She knew that this time of year it wasn't too bad because it was late August, but as it got closer to winter, it would get closer and closer to the type of weather she didn't want—which was anything involving snow.

Bella had grown up in the heat. She lived with her mother Renee in Phoenix growing up; her father Charlie lived in Forks Washington, which she visited every summer, but only in the summer when the weather was bearable. He would visit her every Christmas and on spring break. Bella got along very well with both her parents; she was one of those lucky kids whose parents' divorce didn't ruin her relationship with one or the other. She still called them both every weekend, and they both visited her every Christmas. Her mom would bring her husband Phil, and Charlie would bring his long time girlfriend Sue. They always managed to avoid the drama around divorced couples too; it seemed her parents got along much better as friends than they did as a couple.

After high school, Bella went to University of Southern California, majoring in journalism. It had been her first taste of real freedom, and she enjoyed it. So afterward, she decided not to go back to Phoenix, and she moved to San Diego. Soon after arriving, she got the job with the magazine; at first though, she was just doing office jobs, no real writing. This went on for about six months. By the end of those months, she was pretty much ready to look elsewhere when Angela had announced that the owner of the company was selling.

No one quite knew what was going to happen with the magazine, but it turned out the lady who bought it was an extremely rich woman who lived in Florida. The magazine announced that it was moving to Miami Florida, into an office building that the new owner had just finished building. This way they could cut costs and not have to lease the office space.

It turned out that the employee who wrote the self help section was not in a position to move to Miami, she had a husband who worked for a California law firm, and three kids in school. She took a nice severance package and stayed behind. Bella was offered the position, and she took it without question, she had no real ties to San Diego. To her, Miami would be the exact same—minus Shamu of course.

So, she started the new job; self help was not exactly where she wanted to be because first of all, it wasn't writing real articles, and second, Bella did not feel at all qualified to write self help stuff. It was a job, and she would get to write—that's what mattered. There were perks to the new position though, she was given a pile of letters a month, and she only had to write about the ones she chose. The pay was a lot better than the office assistant job.

But that was three years ago. Three years! The pay had increased over time, but it had seemed like no matter how hard she tried, she never had gotten other opportunities. Finally, about three months ago when the new section to the magazine was announced, she went straight to Angela and told her that she would not stay with the magazine if she was stuck in self help for any longer. Bella knew that the new section needed new writers, and she could be one of them. Angela assured her that she was going to get to write in the new section, but that the details had not been worked out just yet.

That news had put Bella on cloud nine. In the weeks that followed it was all she could talk about. Charlie and Renee were probably so sick of hearing it, but it was at least one real article—probably more, in a national magazine. In fact, she was pretty sure they sold it in Canada too, so it was more than a national magazine.

She thought she had taken the news of it being sports with a little dignity...well at least until she got written up for 'verbally attacking' Jessica, but the girl deserved it. She'd called her mom that night and cried on the phone for a few hours about the position, but Renee assured her that it was only ten months and that she had ten guaranteed articles. She reminded Bella that this was a big deal. Bella felt a little better about it after that—talking to her mom usually helped—and the next day, she had a two hour talk with Angela about what they were looking for within the article. Angela was right, it wasn't really a sports article; her job was to show that there were more important things about these women then them being sports wives.

There was one thing though that she still had not done, and that was look at the information Angela had given her. She still had no idea about the women she was writing about. It sat on the tiny table in front of her on the airplane, and she knew it should be opened.

About an hour into the flight, she finally opened the file. Inside there were three pictures of three different couples. The first couple was the oldest. She skimmed through the information and got the important stuff out of it:

Esme and Carlisle Cullen

Carlisle Cullen is the head coach for the Colorado Avalanche. He has been with the NHL for twenty years, with the Avalanche for eight years, and the head coach for two years. He and his wife Esme have been married for twenty-seven years, and they have two children, a boy and a girl. Emmett, (Who's twenty-six, and plays defence on the Avalanche) and Alice, who is twenty-four. Also, the couple raised Carlisle's brother's son Edward, (Who is twenty-five, a center for the Avalanche, and team captain) since he was four and his parents were killed by a drunk driver.

The family was originally from Chicago, but moved around a lot because of Carlisle's job. Esme Cullen works as the agent for the entire family, as well as for a couple other Avalanche players. Esme never had any formal training to become an agent, but apparently got good at it from being around the sport with her husband, as well as from taking on that role when the boys were getting noticed in the minor leagues. Esme also took on tons of team charity projects with her daughter and future daughter-in-law Rosalie.

Bella thought this was a good angle. Esme seemed like a wonderful woman who did a lot for her family, and she could tell that writing about her would be interesting.

She flipped to the next page and found it to be Esme and Carlisle's daughter. The man pictured with her was the goalie of the Avalanche.

Alice Cullen and Jasper Whitlock

Alice Cullen was the only daughter of Esme and Carlisle Cullen. She works as a wedding planner—one of the most sought out ones in Denver. In fact she has done weddings for the last three Avalanche players to get married, as well as for the owner of the Avalanche's daughter Lauren Mallory, (now Lauren Crowley). Her latest endeavour is that of her own brother Emmett's wedding to Rosalie Hale. Alice is in a relationship with Avalanche goalie Jasper Whitlock, (Born and raised in Philadelphia). The two met when he was traded to the team (From the Dallas Stars) two years ago (One of her father's first moves as head coach). They have been dating officially for a year and a half. Jasper is one of the other players that Esme represents. Alice, and future sister-in-law, Rosalie, have been best friends since they were ten when Carlisle worked for the New York Rangers.

So maybe there was a lot more to these women than just hockey wives. Alice Cullen sounded like someone the magazine would have interviewed for any given issue.

The next woman on the list was the fiancé of Emmett Cullen.

Rosalie Hale and Emmett Cullen

Rosalie Hale met the Cullen family at age ten when Carlisle Cullen worked for the New York Rangers. She and Emmett Cullen are high school sweethearts and now engaged to be married. Rosalie works as an interior designer and has designed the homes and apartments for all the Cullen's as well as Jasper Whitlock. Emmett is a defensive player for the Avalanche. At age twenty, Emmett came up from the minors at the same time as his cousin Edward Cullen. Emmett is rated as one of the top defensive players in the league and is on the ice at any time that his cousin is on—as a protection for the smaller forward. The two have planned the wedding for Christmas Eve of this year. It is being planned by Emmett's sister Alice.

The wedding was on Christmas Eve? That meant that there was no way Bella would be able to get away at Christmas. Angela would kill her if she missed the wedding; it would be a major part of the article she'd be writing for the January edition. She'd figure that out closer to December.

She went through the information a few more times and found that there was very little written about the cousin, Edward. Bella knew the articles were about the women, but surely he, as a member of the family and the team, would be at least somewhat important to know more about; apparently she'd be figuring that one out in Colorado.

"Sorry to bother you, Miss, I've been looking a bit at your papers there." It was the flight attendant in which Bella face-planted into her shoe earlier. "Are you an Avalanche fan?"

"No—I'm a journalist. I work for a women's magazine based out of Miami. I'm doing a series of articles on the women behind sports figures, and my topic is the women surrounding the Cullen Family. Are you from Denver?"

"Yeah—born and raised. That team is a big part of that city, and the Cullen's have made it even more popular in recent years. The Cullen boys have just about won us the cup twice, and now with their father as coach, I think the chances of winning are even better."

"But Carlisle Cullen has been the coach for two years." Bella pointed out; they'd had two seasons to win it already.

"That's true, but these last two seasons the team has been plagued by injuries. In fact, last season Emmet got hurt in a game, and went to the locker room. On Edward's next shift he was hit into the boards and ended up being out for three weeks," she replied defensively. "As long as the team doesn't get too beat up they've got a great chance at winning the cup."

"I hope they do." Bella replied happily.

The flight attendant smiled.

"Actually I was wondering if you could help, I have a lot of info on everyone in the family except the cousin, Edward, is there anything I should know before I go in there?"

"I don't know for sure, but I've heard rumours; sounds like he is exactly what you'd expect of the team superstar—lots of different women. Apparently, he is pretty stuck up and doesn't talk to the press that much," she replied.

"Really? Bella was interested now. Not that she'd ever be able to write on the antics of the superstar.

"But the city still loves him regardless. He shows up for the games and plays his heart out. He sure lives up to the superstar status on the ice, though. When he's out there it is hard to take your eyes off him." She gave another flight attendant smile (they always looked so happy). "But I should probably get back to serving refreshments. Good luck with your articles. It's a great story—they are one interesting family."

Already Bella felt a little bit better about the project. She knew she wasn't dealing with brainless sports wives who looked good on the arms of their husbands but did shit all—although the three were beautiful. She was dealing with beautiful women that would be great in photos as well as great for an interview, and those two things rarely went well together.

For the rest of the flight, Bella got out a novel and read about half of it. When they landed in Denver, she quickly grabbed her carry-on from the overhead compartment and was in the airport quickly.

Now she just had to wait for her bags. Her two suitcases were some of the first luggage to come off the flight, but her duffel was not coming. She waited and waited as the same three or four suitcases went by again and again. Finally, when she was about to give up and report it as lost, a small bag came down the belt. It was her cosmetics bag. But wait, that should have been inside her duffel, which could only mean...

She looked up again, and sure enough, the next thing to come by was a sweater she loved from University.

"Oh fuck!" Bella swore, then noticed the disapproving look she got from a mother standing with a little boy to the left of her.

Bella's items were coming down one by one. She tried to think about what she packed in the duffel. Some jeans, those came out soon, a bath robe, she got that, one of her coats, she got that soon after. She tried to think if there was anything else; she was pretty sure there wasn't. Except...no, she put that in her red suitcase. No, it hadn't fit in that suitcase. Bella was beginning to regret bringing it at all. It had been a gag gift after all, but it had come in handy...

Bella ran to the very bottom of the belt hoping that when it came down she'd see it first and maybe hide it from everyone else.

"Miss Swan? Bella Swan?" A sweet sounding voice asked behind her.

Bella turned around and saw the woman from the picture, Esme Cullen, smiling back at her.

"Hi, I'm Esme Cullen."

"Hi, Bella Swan," she said nervously and looked back at the belt.

"Oh gosh! This looks like a mess—did your bag break?" Esme looked at her clothes piled on top.

Bella just nodded.

As she did, she saw the empty duffel fall from the belt. She snatched it up quickly and looked to see what was left inside—nothing.

"Crap," Bella swore again. The nearby woman looked disapprovingly at her again.

"Are you still missing something?" Esme was nicely putting all the stuff back inside the duffel as best as possible. Apparently, the zipper burst, but the bag was still mostly intact.

"Uh, well I don't know." Bella replied, but already she knew her face was getting redder by the second. Maybe she'd be lucky and it had fallen off the side somewhere in luggage limbo, and no one would find it...

Bella Swan was not that lucky...

"Mommy what's this?" The little boy asked his already-unhappy-with-Bella mother.

Bella looked over and in his hand was her missing item, a purple vibrator. There was no denying it. No one else's luggage had fallen apart, and everyone knew that it belonged to her. Since everyone except the little boy was old enough to know what it was, the room went silent.

"DROP THAT!" The mother screamed. It was on the floor in a second. The look Bella was getting from angry mother was...well...let's just say if looks could kill.

Bella decided that since there was no denying it was hers, she might as well get it off the floor of the airport. She picked it up and stuffed it into her carry-on. She didn't even want to know how tomato-like she looked in that moment.

She turned back to Esme who simply put the duffel over her shoulder and smiled. "Time to go?" Esme asked; she was trying to be nice.

Bella nodded, too embarrassed to speak. So much for becoming a professional writer. She could already hear the phone-call between Mrs. Cullen and Angela that was bound to happen. She'd probably be completely out of a job for this one.

What do you think? Embarrassing! Right? Please review!


	3. Chapter 2 - New Home

Hey!

Thanks for reading. I'm glad you made it this far, and I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Our Bella gets to meet her hockey superstar in this chapter!

I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2 –

Esme helped Bella pack her things into the car, and they rode in silence to Bella's new apartment. One that she was going to have for all of probably a day, maybe two, depending on flights back to Miami. As they drove, Bella looked closer at Esme Cullen. She was beautiful, and looked much too young to have a son who was twenty-six. She must have been one of those really lucky women who aged well, because Bella could just tell that there was no way this woman had ever had plastic surgery. After living in Los Angeles and Miami, you got used to the plastic surgery look, and Esme did not have it.

Bella turned her attention to the window. She had to admit that Denver was pretty. There were no palm trees of course, and no beach within walking distance, but it had a charm to it. She did keep reminding herself though, that Denver had actual seasons, the traditional kind of seasons. Miami had seasons, heat and hurricane, but it wasn't quite the same as having a spring, summer, fall, and winter. She shuttered at the last one; winter was not her favourite, she couldn't even remember the last time she'd been somewhere during the winter. It must have been when she was really little with her dad, but that was a long time ago.

As she stared into space, she realized that they were in the heart of the city, and that Esme had turned into a parkade for a beautiful apartment building. It was a two-tower apartment that couldn't have been built more than five years ago. They stopped at a booth blocking the parkade entrance where a man greeted Esme with familiarity. Bella wondered if she lived in the building, but she doubted it because Esme seemed like the big house-big yard type person.

She parked in a spot that said visitor. "So your parking spot is right there," she pointed to an empty spot that said 842 on it. "Your car is delayed unfortunately, but I'll have it here for you tomorrow. It's nothing special, just a Chevrolet Equinox. They are pretty cute SUVs and the all wheel drive is great for when the weather gets bad, but that won't be for a while."

She barely registered what the car was; she was focussing on the words 'here for you tomorrow'. Her mentioning tomorrow seemed promising, but realistically, Bella figured that Esme would rather let Angela break the news to her. Esme seemed like the type that would have a hard time being mean to anyone. Bella nodded and gave her a small smile.

She could just imagine the look on Jessica's face when she returned to Miami—probably just to clear of her desk—but Jessica would make sure she was there for the whole thing. It would be humiliating, but then again, she could say as many mean, rude, awful, but true things about Jessica as she wanted because she would no longer be an employee. So there might be one good side to this mess.

The two unpacked the car and Bella protested when Esme took two bags; one being the dreaded duffel, but Esme would not take no for an answer. She wanted to help her.

They walked through the front foyer. Angela had definitely been right about living above her means for ten months—or at least a day. Esme greeted a few more people in the front area, and then the two went to the elevator.

The elevator ride was as silent as the car ride, and thankfully, it was only on the eight floor because the silence probably would have killed her if they had to go up twenty floors or something. Esme lead her to a door that read 842; her room, and the two went in. Bella's jaw dropped. It was gorgeous! The apartment was on the corner of the building, so in the living room had two walls of windows. The view was amazing; looking out one side of the building you could see the mountains in the distance. They did look pretty, but Bella could just imagine herself falling off the side of one. Anything to do with mountains did not seem like a Bella-approved activity. The other side of the corner window faced the second tower of the apartment building, but you could also see the rest of the Denver skyline if you looked passed the building. The Denver skyline was pretty.

The furniture was modern, but not to the point that you'd be afraid to sit on it. The kitchen had stainless steel appliances, marble countertops, and an island in the middle. There seemed to be every kind of kitchen appliance she might need including a Kitchenaid Mixer (Something Bella had always wanted), and a very complex looking coffee/espresso machine that she would probably not know how to work. It was so pretty—her dream kitchen. Bella ran her hand along the countertop of the island.

"I loved the kitchen too," Esme said breaking the silence. "It was one of the selling points on this place when Alice was looking for a new apartment."

"Your daughter lives in the building?" Bella asked happy that they seemed to be able to have small talk.

"Yeah, she moved in three years ago. She gave up that apartment and moved in with Jasper six months ago, but he lives in the second tower of the building on the tenth floor." Esme walked to the window. "If you look out the window..." She pointed upward. "Do you see the apartment with the deep purple curtains on the corner over there?"

Bella looked and followed Esme's finger. "Yeah, that's Alice and Jasper's?"

"Yeah, Rosalie designed the interior. She did your place too. She wanted to stick with lighter simpler colours and designs because we weren't sure what style you'd prefer. If there is anything you want changed—"

"It's beautiful. I love it," Bella replied quickly.

"I'm glad." Esme smiled a huge bright smile that made everything that happened earlier that day just almost disappear. "Do you want to see the bedroom and office?"

Bella nodded, and Esme walked into an amazing office. The desk had a desk printer, photocopier, scanner, fax machine all-in-one; a bunch of books about both the Avalanche and biographies done on the family. "It was very weird buying books on ourselves, but we wanted you to have whatever would help. I was told you'd be bringing your laptop, but if you need a desktop we can get that too."

"Oh, no this will be great. I don't have half of this stuff at my own home office," Bella replied in awe of the room.

She pointed to a couch along the wall. "The couch is a pull-out in case you need space for guests during your stay here." She looked around trying to find anything else. "Do you want to move to your bedroom? It was Rosalie's favourite room to design. She rarely gets to do a room that there is no one standing over her shoulder telling her exactly what she wants. When you meet her you'll realize how much she loves to be in control of everything in life, so your bedroom was her way of designing her dream room."

"Wouldn't she get to do that for her own room?" Bella followed Esme into the second room.

"Not like this. She lives with Emmett, so everything she designs for their place needs to be at least partially male oriented. For you, she did the perfect girls room." Esme opened the door and Bella stopped at the doorway.

The bed was huge—a king sized one; it sat in the middle of the room and was covered with the prettiest lavender comforter she'd ever seen. The bed frame was metal, and the square shape on the top looked like a continuous vine. There was a huge canopy with a thin curtain that could be pulled around the full bed or tied at the wall. The sheer curtains were the same material as the bed curtain, but there was an outer curtain made of the lavender material in case she wanted it dark.

The walls were a light beige, but on them as a border were stencilled pictures of vines and blossoms in a dark brown and the same lavender of the bed. There was a vanity along the wall opposite the bed and as dresser on the side of it. Both had fixtures of the same metal and the drawer handles looked like a small section of a vine. She doubted she'd even be able to fill half of the dresser with what she had, but it didn't really matter.

The room looked like the adult version of a fairytale room. It was like a childhood dream for her adult self. Bella felt like a kid in a candy shop, like there was nothing else she could ask for. "Oh my god," she finally whispered. She saw the smile on Esme's face. "I...wow, it's...wow."

"I know. It's like a dream or something. It's Rosalie's masterpiece."

Bella smiled, but felt a little awkward hearing so much about Rosalie. If Esme was telling her all this though, it must mean she was staying. It must mean she didn't have to go back to Miami jobless. Esme didn't seem like the type to show her all this and then crush her dreams. Also, there was no way she'd tell her all this about Rosalie if she wasn't going to be writing the articles.

"The bathroom now?"

"Do I have to leave this room?" Bella asked weakly but followed Esme to the bathroom. She didn't regret it. There was a giant jetted tub, a double sink (Which wasn't really needed, but it looked so pretty), a stand up shower, and about forty different kinds of bath products.

"The bath items were Alice's idea. She bought all her favourites because she didn't know what you'd like best. And I literally mean all of them—there is more under the sink. There are towels in the cupboard, and you are fully stocked for bathroom products you might need."

They left the bathroom and went back to the kitchen area. "The kitchen is also fully stocked I don't know if you like cooking, but if you don't, there is also a bunch of takeout menus."

"Yeah takeout sounds good tonight. I'm always exhausted after flying."

"If you go downstairs and two doors down from the second tower there is a great little bar. They have pretty decent food there too. Our family eats there from time to time."

Bella nodded and decided she'd probably go eat there.

"Is there anything else you need? Anything else I can take care of for you?"

"No, you've been so great. Thank you so much."

Esme smiled and walked toward the door. Bella walked over with her. "Uh, Mrs. Cullen..."

"Esme."

"Esme...about the airport..." She barely choked out.

"Oh god, don't even worry about that. Embarrassing things happen."

"So it doesn't affect anything?"

"Anything?"

"Like possibly my job?" Bella asked awkwardly, she didn't want to be having this conversation, but she felt it was necessary.

"Your job? Oh Bella, of course not! Something like that is no reason to lose a position. As long as you are good at your job, I don't care about anything else. My entire family is like that."

Bella momentarily was mortified thinking about Esme telling that terrible story to the whole family, but she didn't say anything, not wanting to push her luck.

"I've read some of the sample things that Angela sent over, you're a good writer."

"Samples? I used to write the self help stuff?" Bella blurted out.

"Oh, I think she said these were the pieces you submitted with your resume."

"Oh. Wow! Those are old, but I'm glad you like them."

"I did, and so did Alice and Rosalie."

Bella nodded.

"Well I'll go and let you get settled." She set the keys on the table by the door and headed out.

Bella took a quick turn around the apartment and decided she'd get unpacked. Now that she wasn't worried about losing her job, she wanted all of her things in the apartment where they belonged. Funny, she thought, a few hours ago she was dreading being here, but now she was so relieved to be staying that she couldn't wait to get all her stuff in place.

She did that quickly enough, and she was right, her stuff barely filled two drawers. The only things in the closet were her suitcases. This apartment was definitely made for someone with a lot more clothes than Bella Swan had.

After everything was away where it belonged, Bella decided she wanted to take advantage of the zillions of bath products she had at her disposal. She went into the bathroom and looked through the different kinds when her stomach growled. Maybe a bath wasn't the best idea. She decided to go for a shower instead. She looked back at the bath products and decided on a peach-mango body wash. She stripped down and took a quick shower.

Alice was a genius. These bath products were amazing, and Bella would have to mention that to her when she met her.

After putting on a clean shirt and a pair of jean capris, Bella dried and ran a brush through her hair, and then put the minimal makeup on. She grabbed her wallet and new keys, and then headed to the bar Esme told her about.

It was a cute place; something you'd expect the local bar to be in a small town. It felt homey. She sat on a stool that was much too high for her, but she managed without incident.

"What can I get you to drink?" a big guy in an apron asked her almost as soon as she was sitting.

"Uh, a long island Iced Tea?" Bella replied. She was celebrating a new job, so she decided she could have a drink.

"Sounds good. Oh, wings and dry ribs are on special today."

She nodded and thanked him.

When he came back, she ordered chicken tenders with a side salad instead of fries. She finished her drink quickly, much quicker than she normally would.

"Want another one?" her waiter asked.

"Uh, I probably shouldn't..."

H e nodded.

"But one more can't hurt can it?"

He smiled and went to get her another one.

This was a very un-Bella-like thing to do, but she was in a strange city, she knew no one, and the only sex toy she owned—which she wasn't even brave enough to buy for herself—was seen by the entire Denver Airport, so an extra drink did not seem like too bad of an idea.

Her food came, and she ate quickly—not realizing how hungry she had been. Her waiter brought her another drink. "Oh..." She was going to protest.

"I was asked to bring it for you from that gentleman over there," he replied and pointed behind her.

Bella turned to see what guy was obviously too drunk to see how plain she was, and she saw the most beautiful guy she had ever seen. It wasn't too often that she described a grown man as beautiful, but this one was worthy of it. He had perfectly unruly just-got-out-of-bed bronze-coloured hair, piercing green eyes, and a body that Bella would bet any girl would drop her panties for. He was wearing obviously designer jeans and a blue button up shirt, but he had the sleeves rolled up almost to his elbows, and it was unbuttoned so you could see the undershirt. Combined with the hair, he really had perfected the I've-just-been-fucked look.

She realized she was staring and whipped around trying not to look too creepy. She ended up slipping off the too-high stool. She was able to grasp the table before she fell completely over and landed on her ass, but the damage was still done, the guy and her waiter were witness to her clumsiness. The waiter asked if she was alright, and she said she was. Bella climbed back on her stool. She eyed the third drink knowing it was a bad idea; she had one of the lowest alcohol tolerances ever, but she took a big drink anyway to try and get over the humiliation. A Greek God looking guy bought her a drink then she proceeded to stare at him and fall off her seat...she decided that she needed the liquid courage.

"Hey," a voice said as he walked in front of her; the Greek God was speaking to her. "Mind if I sit?"

"Sure, go ahead," she replied and took another big drink of her Long Island Iced Tea.

"I've never seen you here before," he causally said and looked around the room. "This place has a pretty loyal clientele, and you I know I've never seen."

"I just moved here. I'm Bella by the way."

"Edward," he replied simply. "You want another drink?" he asked as she finished her third.

"Uh, I probably shouldn't."

"I think you've already tried that excuse before." He gave her a half grin and she was gone.

Edward was interested in this girl. He couldn't quite place what it was that really interested him about her. She was beautiful, but not drop dead gorgeous like a lot of other women he came across; she just had something that other girls didn't. He was still trying to place it as she finished her Pepsi. Her choice to decline the fourth Long Island impressed him. She wasn't a bimbo; that was for sure.

Another nice thing about her—she did not recognise him. Most of the time when girls came here by themselves, they had read somewhere that he enjoyed this place and they all wanted their piece of the 'superstar of the Avs'. It was definitely feeling like a drawback to the job. He knew he shouldn't complain that lots of girls were interested, but they weren't really the type of girls he wanted. One night stands with the sports equivalent of groupies was not priority for him. He wasn't quite sure if he was at that stage of settling down yet, like his cousin Emmet, but maybe he just hadn't met the right girl for that.

He decided to clear his mind though, and focus on the cute dark headed girl in front of him. She was talking about Phoenix where she had grown up. Athough he wasn't entirely sure he was listening to every detail of what she was saying, he could describe every detail about her perfect full lips that were saying it.

"Sorry, I'm rambling. I tend to do that a lot." Bella finally realized that Edward did not seem to be really hearing a word she said.

"No, sorry, you aren't. I think I'm just getting tired. I was up really early for a workout this morning," Edward replied with ease; he realized he'd been caught.

Bella looked at her watch. It wasn't really late, but she was pretty tired too. "Yeah, I should probably head out for the night anyway—jet lag." She turned to see if she could see her waiter.

He was serving some guys at the bar. When she caught his attention, he said he'd bring the bill.

When he finally brought it over, he set it on the table next to Bella. Edward reached over and put his hand on it.

"Let me get it for you," he offered as he grabbed his wallet from his pocket. He opened it and Bella saw that he had a ridiculously large amount of cash.

"No, that's fine I've got it." She quickly got her VISA out and placed it with the bill. "You already bought me a drink—that was nice enough."

"Okay, no problem," Edward replied. He pulled out a bit of cash and handed it to the waiter when he came to get Bella's bill. At first, Bella thought he was paying for her anyway, but then realized he must be paying his own bill. If he was a regular, then he probably knew about how much the bill was.

Her waiter came back with the VISA receipt, and she quickly signed and calculated a good tip. Anyone who didn't laugh when she fell off a stool deserved a good tip in her books.

"So if I can't pay for your dinner tonight, can I take you out some time and get you dinner?" Edward asked with that amazing grin.

"I don't know, can you?" She flirted; yeah it was cheesy, but it was flirting nonetheless. Apparently, the Long Island Iced Teas made her a little tipsier than she thought, because Bella Swan really did not flirt.

"Bella, may I take you out to dinner some other time?" he asked again.

"Sounds like that might be a possibility. I'll give you my number." She went looking for a piece of paper but she didn't have anything.

"Here," he noticed her paper dilemma and handed her an iPhone. "Just put the numbers into it, I'll save it."

She went to dial the number, but before she did, she saw the background picture on the phone. It was a group photo. Edward was on the side standing next to six other people. Six other people Bella recognised; the Cullen's...Edward CULLEN. She was sitting here, half drunk, with the nephew of the woman she was writing an article on. Edward noticed she hadn't entered anything.

"What's wrong?" He asked trying to see if the phone was not working properly.

"Uh, you know what? On second thought, a date would probably be a bad idea. It was nice to meet you, but I should really go." Bella got up and was out the door before Edward could even comprehend what had happened.

His mind raced. What had she seen to make her run off? The picture was a family one taken at Emmett and Rosalie's engagement party. Maybe she recognised him and freaked out. Maybe she recognised someone else, but he doubted that would make her run.

He saw that he had a new message from his aunt.

Ed

Hey, I just got back from the apartment complex with Miss Swan from the magazine. She's a doll. Remember though, tomorrow morning you promised you'd come to meet her. 11:00, see you then.

Esme

He had forgotten about that. Miss Swan from the magazine...Miss Swan...Miss IsaBELLA Swam...he understood now. He must have looked like such an ass to her. Well, she hadn't recognised him, so why would he have recognised her. Still, he didn't really feel good about trying to get in the pants of the girl working with his aunt.

On the other hand though, he'd get to see her again soon. In fact, he'd see her at eleven the next morning.

So we've had our first meeting...what do you think? Please review.


	4. Chapter 3 - At the Rink

Hello again. Thanks again for reading. This is the last chapter that I've gotten edited to date, so the next chapter might take a couple days. Please stick with me! I promise it won't be too long. I will try for tomorrow, but with the Pittsburgh Boston Game tomorrow night...there might be a wait. I do love playoff hockey!

Last we left...our favorite couple had an interesting evening together...

So now we have the morning after...how will Bella's first meeting with the rest of the family go?

Enjoy!

Chapter 3 –

Ow! Head...pounding...ow!

Those were the first thoughts on Bella's mind when she woke up the following morning. It was nine-thirty. The alarm on her phone was blaring some overly happy tune that could have been the score to a Disney movie, and that made her consider throwing the phone across the room.

The second thought was a quick where the fuck was she...Then she remembered it all—Denver, the vibrator, Esme, the gorgeous apartment, Long Island Iced Teas...plural, the cute guy at the bar. Scratch that, the cute non-dateable hockey player from the bar. She groaned and finally turned to her phone to make the tune stop.

She had a meeting at eleven at the arena. Apparently, the team had a short practice at ten then she'd be meeting not just Esme, Alice, and Rosalie, but their significant others and their cousin too. Well that wouldn't really be a meeting.

She got out of bed and attempted to turn on the crazy coffee/espresso contraption that may have looked cool, but did not agree with her. She'd have to stop at Starbucks on the way because coffee was going to be necessary.

She jumped in the shower because she felt like she smelled like hangover, and it didn't seem like the best way to meet the rest of the family. She chose a different body wash from Alice's collection and decided the girl had the best taste on earth.

Bella loved the shower; she could stand under the warm water for hours and never get sick of it. Back when she was in school, she used to spend way too long in the shower and lose track of time until her mother or Phil would knock on the door and snap her out of her trance. She'd end up at school with soaking wet hair barely making it there on time.

This morning was another one of those mornings, except there was no mother or stepfather to knock on the door. "Shit!" She said as she jumped out of the shower not knowing how long she had been in the shower, she got into her bedroom and saw that it was already quarter after ten. She grabbed the hair drier and got it about half dried then added a little mousse and pulled it back with a butterfly clip.

She went for the minimal makeup again and pulled on a pair of pants that didn't look too wrinkled from the move and a light blue short sleeved top. She looked half-presentable, but it was already ten thirty, and she still needed to actually get to the arena. She also needed to get Starbucks. She hurried downstairs and stopped at the front desk where Esme had the keys to her car waiting.

The car was cute. She barely had a chance to look at it when she jumped in and adjusted the seat and mirrors. It had new car smell. None of her previous vehicles had been new, and she decided that she enjoyed new car smell.

The GPS was also a genius investment. She turned it on, and she found that someone had programmed in the Pepsi Center. She knew it must have come from Esme; she was such a mom and such a sweetheart. Bella pulled out of the parkade and headed in the direction of the Pepsi Center. Apparently, the apartment was very close to the Pepsi Center, which must be convenient for Jasper.

As she drove the short distance, she saw a Starbucks and smiled. She ignored the annoying voice telling her she was turning at the wrong spot. She ordered a caramel Macchiato and almost instantly as she drank it, everything felt a little better; the headache was almost forgotten in the caramel goodness.

She arrived at the arena and had no idea where to park. She pulled over to ask someone in a uniform, and they pointed to a parking pass that was hanging in her window.

"You get to park in the private lot with that pass." The girl she was asking was about sixteen and did not seem overly interesting in helping her.

"Where is that lot?" Bella asked nicely.

"You have a private pass and don't know where the lot is? That lot is mostly for team members and important people." She seemed to be implying Bella had stolen it. Why would she steal a parking pass?

"I'll find it myself—never mind." Bella rolled up her window and suppressed the urge to back up over the little brat. She soon found another employee, a teenage guy this time, and he seemed much more willing to help her. Sometimes teenage hormones were useful.

After finally parking, she got inside and was directed to Carlisle Cullen's office. She sat outside and was actually impressed that she made it there several minutes early. She looked down the hallway and went to read some of the things posted on the wall.

"Jasper, let me finish telling you the story. She was looking for whatever it was, and then this kid holds up a fucking dildo and asks his mother what it is. Esme told Rose that the girl was like a fucking tomato. It's classic! Wish I had been there."

Bella was mortified; she knew one of the men was Jasper, and she assumed the second was Emmett since he mentioned Rosalie.

"Emmett, fuck, I told you that was a secret. Esme didn't even want to tell me!" Rosalie must have arrived, but Bella still could not look away from the poster on the wall. She had no idea what it said since her eyes were beginning to water, and she was trying to force herself not to cry.

She vaguely heard another female voice enter the mix but she still couldn't look over. Bella was very grateful for her ability to go unnoticed so easily; none of the group had even acknowledged her, so she doubted they even noticed she was there.

She wished she could hide forever, but for what seemed like the millionth time in her life, she didn't get what she wanted.

"Hey, Miss Swan, I wanted to apologize to you about yesterday. Last night was..." It was Edward Cullen, his voice trailed off. "Shit, what's wrong?" He asked as soon as he saw the tears in her eyes. Edward hated to see anyone cry, and for some reason, he wanted to kill whoever made her cry. He looked to his family and saw by the look on their faces that it had been them.

Esme and Carlisle arrived, and immediately Esme saw something was wrong, "What's going on?" she asked; she saw Bella's tears and went straight to her. "Bella there's a washroom right here," she lead Bella to the washroom, and Bella quickly locked herself inside.

"What the fuck did you do?" Edward looked at the group; the only one of the four who seemed confused was Alice.

"Language, Edward!" Esme had returned to the group. "But please, explain." She looked to the four.

"I have nothing to do with this," Alice said before walking over by her father; wanting to be away from the wrath of her mother. It didn't happen often, but when Esme got upset, it could be scary. Her father seemed like a safer place to stand than near the culprits.

"I told Emmett the airport story, and he apparently told it to the whole hallway." Rosalie turned to her fiancé.

"How was I supposed to know she would be standing there?" Emmett attempted to defend himself.

"We had an eleven o'clock meeting! It's five to eleven; why the fuck wouldn't she be standing there?" Edward shot back at him. He ignored Esme's glare about the swearing.

"Why do you even care? How did you even know it was her? And what happened last night that you need to apologize for?" Emmett had a good way of turning the heat back on him. All eyes went to Edward.

Bella had managed to dry her tears pretty quickly but she still didn't want to go back out into the hallway. She could hear the conversation outside, and it was just getting worse. She opened the door, and before Edward could even attempt to answer his cousin's question, she put on a smile. "Sorry about that." She put on a brave face "I'm Bella Swan. It's good to finally meet you all."

Esme took charge again and stepped towards Bella. "We're glad to have you, Bella, this is my husband, Carlisle."

He shook her hand.

"My daughter, Alice."

Alice smiled brightly and said hello.

Esme turned Bella's attention to the other three who all were looked at either the floor or the walls. It would have actually been funny if the whole scene hadn't been a mess. These two grown men—big tough hockey playing grown men—and the tall beautiful blonde, could not look plain little Bella in the eyes.

"This is Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett." Esme said quickly and with none of the happiness that she had used to introduce Alice and Carlisle.

"Hello," the three said weakly. Jasper got the courage to reach out a hand, and Bella shook it; surprised at how she didn't feel the need to burst into tears again. Afterward, Rosalie gathered the courage to look up and smile at her, Bella smiled back. Emmett finally looked up, "Listen, Miss Swan, I'm..."

"I don't want to talk about it, but call me Bella," she replied quickly and Emmett visibly relaxed.

"And hey, any time you want funny stories about this lot for your article, I'll give you all the details," Emmett added, and Bella instantly felt better about the situation.

Esme shook her head at her son and turned to Edward. "And this is Edward..." She said cautiously not knowing if she wanted to turn the attention back to whatever happened the night before.

Edward saved Bella from having to explain. "I met her last night at After Hours. I didn't realize until after she'd left that she was Isabella Swan doing the magazine thing—that's why I was apologizing, because I didn't recognize her," he said smoothly making eye contact with each member of the group except Bella. She was grateful he didn't mention her state of near drunkenness and the almost date that they almost planned.

"Oh you went to After Hours?" It was Alice. "The food there is great! Anytime Rose and I don't go to the games we watch them at the bar." She came right up next to Bella and linked arms with her. "The boys think we go for the games, but it's really the nachos."

Bella smiled and lightly laughed. The moment of awkwardness seemed to be gone, but Bella still didn't like the idea of the whole family knowing about her vibrator incident.

"Oh my gosh!" Alice exclaimed out of nowhere. "You were using Tangerine Tango!"

The four men looked confused.

"Yes, and last night, I used a peach-mango one. Thanks by the way, they're all amazing. It was hard to choose which one to use."

"Yeah that one is good." Alice replied. "I'll have to get you more."

Bella started to protest when Carlisle cut in.

"I don't want to interrupt anything, but Emmett, Edward, Jasper, and I have a meeting with the owners at eleven thirty." He looked apologetic for ending the girl bonding moment.

"Oh right," Esme said with a smile. "Well, really I think that today was just a formal meeting." She said the word formal and looked to Edward.

Bella blushed.

"So really, I don't think we need you four for anything else, unless Bella needs anything?" Everyone turned to Bella.

"No, not really. I just wanted to meet everyone and have some preliminary conversations with the three of you just so we're clear about what we want from the articles," she replied; work seemed like a safe topic of conversation.

"Alright then, you can use my office if you'd like." Carlisle offered looking to his wife.

"Uh, actually if you girls want, we can go and get some food at the cafe down by Jefferson Park." Esme looked to the girls, and they all looked specifically to Bella.

"Sure, food sounds great. I'm starving, but I don't know how to get there."

"You can ride with me. We'll come back and get your car afterward," Alice said quickly and it was decided. Bella got the feeling people didn't go against Alice; she may have been tiny, but Alice had spark.

The group said their goodbyes, and Bella tactfully looked away as the couples kissed. She caught Edward looking her way, and he nodded his goodbye to her. She smiled but turned away quickly.

All the way to the Cafe Alice had bombarded her with a ton of questions about her life. Bella assumed this must have been what girl talk really was; she had never had a big group of girls that she hung out with. She had been a bit of a loner in school, and she almost never talked about herself. Alice was a strange girl; she'd known Bella for a whole twenty minutes and apparently decided that it was a sufficient amount of time to learn all about Bella's life. Bella didn't really mind though; she felt comfortable around Alice.

"So, boyfriend?" Alice continued.

"No, I don't really date," Bella replied looking out the window at the city.

"Not ever?"

Bella just shook her head.

Alice look surprised but shrugged her shoulders. "We can fix that." She replied as they turned into the parking lot of what Bella assumed was the cafe.

It was a nice spot, and she already knew that the Cullen family had good taste in food. The cafe would probably be a new breakfast place for Bella. She loved to cook, but nothing beat a bakery muffin in the morning.

They arrived just behind the other two and sat down at the table they had claimed. Rosalie hadn't said much to her, and Bella figured it was probably because of the incident earlier. She didn't really blame anyone though; she'd never told Esme to keep it secret, so why wouldn't she tell her future daughter-in-law. It only made sense that Rosalie told Emmett—they were engaged.

After ordering food, Bella decided it was probably best to get to work. "So, there are a couple ways we can do these articles. Of course I'll need to attend big functions that are team related, but I don't have to intrude on your everyday lives. If you prefer it, I can just meet with you several times a week for interviews about important things that might be important to write about..."

"That sounds boring." Alice cut her off. "I think you'd write better if you are included in things rather than told about it the day afterward."

"I think so too," Esme replied and Rosalie agreed.

"I thought that would work better too, but I understand that I am here for work and this is your life. I don't ever want you to feel like I am overstepping my bounds because that it not what I want to do. Just include me where you want me, and if there is anything that you'd rather not have a journalist present for, I will get the details from you, or ignore them. Also, if we do anything or anything is said that you don't want the entire country to know, just tell me and it will not appear in anything I write."

Everyone seemed to like that idea, and Bella was glad about it.

"We aren't really overly exciting or secretive people, we just live our lives and that's it. Sure, readers around the country are probably looking for an exciting life, but I think we're pretty normal," Rosalie said with a smile. She seemed to have warmed up to Bella a bit.

"Yeah, and I just want to get it as right as possible—just you guys in your everyday lives." Bella replied. "So I was thinking, since the first article is an introduction to you guys, I might as well get to know more about the important stuff. In particular, I want to hear about the wedding."

Alice grinned huge and Rosalie brightened in the face; Alice, Bella was sure, was thinking about designs and plans; Rosalie was thinking about Emmett—guaranteed. A girl only looked like that when she was thinking about the man they loved.

Bella could tell she was going to get close to these women in the next ten months, and she looked forward to it.

Edward had a hard time concentrating during the meeting with the owners; he was thinking about the cute brunette that had kept him up half the night. He was annoyed that she was on his mind. He didn't even know her, and she was pretty much off-limits as she was writing about the family. That seemed like a conflict of interests of some sort. Still though, she caught his attention.

As the meeting went on, he felt like every time he tried to listen to his boss or his father, he got distracted. The core players of the team were there. This consisted of him, Emmett, Jasper, a guy named Tristan Mercer—a new free agent trade onto the team who played on left wing, Mike Newton—a defensive player that probably had taken too many pucks to the head as a kid but he could still play, and Tyler Crowley who was solid on the right wing. The five made up the first line, and Jasper was the starting goaltender. They had a good chance of getting the cup this year; especially with the addition of Mercer who had two cups under his belt.

"Edward?"

He looked up to see everyone looking at him, but Edward had no idea what he had been asked. He'd been thinking about how he wanted to smell the Tangerine whatever it was that Bella had used.

"Sorry, what?"

"We were discussing the second line—trying to figure out how to organize it after this season's trades. Coach Cullen said you'd mentioned some ideas the other day." The General Manager, Mr Brenner looked at him.

Edward could see Emmett's smirk next to him.

"Uh, I don't even remember what I had said." He looked to his dad.

Carlisle turned to the GM and repeated what apparently had been Edward's ideas from the other day. He didn't remember this at all, but that was his dad; whenever he or Emmett made any suggestions, even if just causally, Carlisle would listen intently and think it through.

Soon enough, the meeting was over and Edward headed back to the locker room to pack up his stuff. He got down there and didn't really feel like leaving. The ice was free; he could always do a few more drills on his own. He loved getting on the ice for any reason—even if he was by himself. Edward wasn't great on the off season; too long without the rush of a game always made him go crazy before the preseason started. If he had it his way, the NHL would go twelve months of the year. When he should have been resting, he'd be on the ice working just as hard as if he had a game coming up.

Edward grabbed his skates and walked out to the ice. It hadn't been cleared by the zamboni machine yet, so the ice wasn't great, but it meant the lights would stay on for a while longer. He laced up the skates, grabbed a couple of pucks, and found his stick. He started skating around a bit—stick handling to no particular place or destination.

Eventually, as he skated near the goal, he made a shot and heard the distinct clang of hitting the post. It echoed in the empty dome. He frowned, wondering how he managed to hit the post on an empty net. "Failure, Cullen." He mumbled to himself.

He skated to the goal, retrieved the puck, skated around more, and shot again—this time getting the puck in the net where it belonged.

"Edward!"

He turned to see Jasper and Emmett standing at the entrance to the ice.

"We were going to get lunch, do you want to come?" Jasper called to him.

"No, I'll grab something later. I just want to skate around a bit," he yelled back and made another goal.

"You'd never make that if I was in the net." Jasper joked.

"Dream on, Goalie." Edward laughed.

"Oh, I'd have that in my glove anytime."

"Well then, I guess it is a good thing you play on the same team." Emmett stopped the playful argument. "I'm hungry boys, so we are out of here. Bye superstar."

"Bye," Edward called back and continued to skate around with the puck.

Eventually, he got bored of shooting. He dropped his stick and pucks at the bench. and he just started skating as fast as he could. Backwards, forwards, switching directions, he loved the blur of the rink as you flew past everything around you. He loved the sound of skates on ice, and he loved the echo of this building. All you heard was his skates and his breathing when he finally stopped.

"You almost finished?" a voice called to him.

Edward turned to see the maintenance staff. They had the Zamboni ready to come onto the ice to clear it for the day.

"Yeah I'll go," he replied. "Want me to move the nets?"

"No that's fine," the man called back to him. Edward got off the ice and headed to the locker room. He considered taking a shower but figured he could shower at home right away. He organized his stuff and headed to his car.

Edward on skates...on ice...yeah that's like the hottest thing ever...hockey players in general are pretty hot (even with a few missing teeth).

As always...please review!


	5. Chapter 4 - Family Barbecue

Hello everyone! Thanks so much for the response to this story. I actually had to turn off my email alerts because I was getting non-stop emails telling me people had added it to favorites etc. (At 22 emails by 3am, I turned them off so I could sleep.)

I've only got one chapter for you today because it's late here, and I have work early tomorrow.

Thanks...

Here goes.

Chapter 4 –

Alice dropped Bella off at her car and saw that her cousin's silver Volvo still sat in the parking lot. She wanted to go find him and see what was going on. She practically ran into him as he was heading out, and by the look on his face, he had been skating.

"Didn't invite me?" she asked jokingly. It was then that he actually noticed she was there.

"Oh, hey...invite you where?"

"On the ice?"

He eyed her.

"Come on! There is no way you are that relaxed—or sweaty, after a meeting with my dad. You went skating and didn't even invite me." Alice was, just like the rest of the family, an excellent skater. She enjoyed it but didn't breathe it like her father, brother, or cousin did.

"No. You were out having coffee and bagels while I was in a meeting, so you don't really deserve a skating trip," he replied.

"Bella's nice," Alice said sweetly as the two walked slowly out and stopped by Edward's car. "She's going to be joining us all over the place. She offered to do all these crazy interviews, but they'd be kind of boring—so she's joining us for everything including the barbeque on Saturday."

"The barbeque, really? Hasn't that always been family only?" Edward asked surprised. "How'd you get Esme to agree?"

"It was her idea. She decided that if Bella needs to get to know our family, then she should actually get to know our family."

"Seems logical," Edward replied sarcastically. "Anyway, I should get to the apartment. I need to shower."

"Yeah, you smell, cuz." He hated when she called him that. She headed toward her own car. "Oh, hey, what's the airport incident?"

"Beats me," Edward replied. "Jasper apparently knows. Ask him, and when you find out, tell me." He hopped into the car as Alice unlocked hers. He really was interested in knowing what the airport incident was, but whatever happened it made Bella cry, so it couldn't be a good thing.

Alice pulled out of the parking lot before he did, and he followed her to their apartment complex. Alice lived in the second tower with Jasper. Edward lived in the older tower—the same one he was pretty sure he remembered Rosalie and Esme talking about Bella's apartment being in. There were minutes he wished he didn't tune out the girl-talk at the family dinners.

He didn't have to go looking for Bella though; almost as soon as he got into the building, she was there talking to the manager. He walked over and greeted the man; they had met on several occasions.

"Mr. Cullen. Hello! How are you today?"

"I'm great—and how about you? How's your boys?" Edward remembered meeting his two sons at a game once.

"They're great. My eldest just turned thirteen, and he's starting bantam hockey next month. My youngest, Bradley, is excited to play his first year of peewee. They still talk about the time you visited their hockey clubs last season." He took a quick look and Bella and noted her sweet expression.

She had a look that said she was surprised, but also mildly impressed.

"Yeah, well, we were all there once, and I like doing stuff like that. I'd rather spend every moment I have off the ice with kids just like me, than in press conferences or photo shoots." He smiled. "So were you just meeting my new neighbor?" He gave Bella a smile.

"Yeah, I met her briefly this morning, but I guess she was in a rush trying to get to a meeting with your aunt this morning."

Edward noticed how red she went when the meeting came up.

"I'll bet you were just in a rush to try out that nice little SUV." Edward smiled at Bella.

She smiled back, informing him of how grateful she was about his change of subject.

"Yeah it's adorable. I even played around with the GPS so that Morgan Freeman tells me which direction to go—it's awesome." She didn't quite realize how stupid she sounded until that actually came out of her mouth; she felt like an awkward teenager again.

"Mine is in the voice of Mr. T." Edward added to try and fill the silence.

Bella laughed lightly.

"I should probably get to my apartment. I'll see you both later." She wanted to make a clean exit, but apparently Edward Cullen wasn't interested in that.

"I'll ride up with you," he offered and followed her to the elevator.

They were the only two in the elevator, and Bella felt ridiculous. She felt completely at ease with Esme, Rosalie, and Alice but being around Edward Cullen was completely different. She was sure by this point that he knew about what happened at the airport. Add that on top of the night before, she wished the elevator moved at super speed.

"So I never actually got to apologize for last night. If I had known who you were, I wouldn't have acted so unprofessionally. Not that I wouldn't have been interested—you're beautiful no matter who you work for." He paused for a second. "Sorry that didn't come out right. You are beautiful, but...uh…I don't know."

Bella was in complete awe. How did a guy who looked like that and spoke to the press almost daily, stumble over his words to her—plain Bella. "It's all right, if I had known who you were I wouldn't have gotten half-drunk on our first meeting."

"Since I bought that last drink, it was definitely my fault."

The elevator stopped on the eighth floor—Bella's floor. Edward was on the fifteenth, but he put his foot in the doorway stopping the door from closing. "So, I hear you're coming to the barbeque this weekend?"

"Yeah. It feels sort of weird, but I don't think it would be possible to say no to either your aunt or Alice, and especially not both of them at the same time," Bella replied hoping she didn't sound like she was insulting either of them; it wasn't meant like that.

"No, I'm pretty sure if someone was able to do that hell might just freeze over," Edward replied. "So, I'll see you Saturday?"

"Probably before that. I'll be around…you know…getting to know the arena and your family—background research stuff."

Edward nodded, ignoring the beeping elevator door. "Yeah, I guess there's probably a lot of stuff that needs to go into a big project like this. By the way, are you coming on the pre-season trip?"

"To where?" Bella blurted out, immediately wishing she had read the information Angela had given her a bit closer.

"Uh, Sweden..." he paused. "The league started it a year ago, doing some preseason stuff in the hockey countries of Europe. You should come."

"Uh, wow, I was probably already invited. There was a ton of paperwork that I never really...uh..." She stopped before she completely stuck her foot in her mouth.

"Don't worry. I barely ever read some of the stuff the sponsor's send me." The elevator began to make a horrible buzzing sound signalling that the conversation was pretty much done. "I'll see you later," he said as he moved his foot.

Bella just nodded.

"Don't go there," Bella whispered to herself. "Bad idea." She walked to her apartment.

Bella spent the rest of the week learning about the arena and the basic family history. As it turned out, she was supposed to know about Sweden; how she'd missed a whole page mentioning her travel to Europe was beyond her, but apparently she had.

She also spent the rest of the week thinking about Edward. She'd come across him several times at the arena; once he even caught her practically stalking him as he skated around alone on the ice after a practice. She couldn't help it. On the ice—who was she kidding…all the time—you couldn't take your eyes off him. He was flawless. After that incident, she tried to avoid him to reduce embarrassment.

Saturday came quickly, and she felt a little better about the Cullen barbeque. Each of the family members had made a point to come and have a meaningful conversation with her, and she felt comfortable around them. Still though, an intimate family barbeque was a strange place to really get to know a person.

That morning, she put on the only sundress she had brought with her; she had almost left it in storage, but it was her favorite. She was to arrive at Carlisle and Esme's house at one, and she had already programmed the address into her GPS. That gave her thirty minutes to get there and it was only supposed to be a twenty-one minute drive. Bella felt prepared, which was not very often for her.

That completely fell apart when she saw Edward Cullen standing next to her SUV waiting for her.

"Alice thought you might want a ride—you know, save on gas."

"So, why stand at my car?"

"Alice said she tried to call you, but you didn't answer. I knew you'd have to come to your car eventually, and then I could just walk you over to mine." He stepped away from the car and motioned toward the stairs in the parkade.

"Are you sure? Because I wouldn't want you to be stuck driving me home. I'm sure you guys will want some family time without me there, and if you are driving me that won't really be possible." She was trying to figure out a good argument, but by the look on his face, it wasn't working.

"Come on. I won't bite—at least not just yet." He winked. "Kidding."

They began to walk in the direction of the stairway.

"Oh, wait, I have a gift for your aunt." She hurried back to the SUV, opened the trunk hatch, and grabbed a bag. "I completely forgot about it. Just give me two seconds and I'll put it in the bag I bought." She grabbed a gift bag out of the plastic bookstore bag. She felt like a complete idiot for forgetting the gift she'd bought on Thursday.

"A book?" Edward asked as he looked at the plastic bag that looked to contain two books.

"Yeah, at the cafe the other day, Esme mentioned that she wanted to read it. I read it back in Miami and would have lent my copy to her, but it's in storage back in Miami." Bella rambled and Edward smiled.

She dumped the contents of the bag into the back of her SUV and grabbed the book that was for his aunt, stuffed it into the gift bag, and put some tissue paper on top.

Edward couldn't help but notice the other book. "_Hockey for Dummies_?" he held it up to her.

Bella went beet red again, and he was beginning to think that it was her natural colour. She was embarrassed by everything. It was cute, but he knew it couldn't be fun for her. "If you needed to know anything about hockey, you could have just asked someone—not necessarily me or anything, but you're kind of surrounded by a few people who know a thing or two about the game." He winked again and Bella was a little thrown-off by the flirting.

What the hell though? She continued it. "They do, do they?" Bella grinned and her face turned to a more natural colour. "I guess I wasted twenty bucks."

"I guess you did." He took a quick look at his watch. "We should get going. Esme'll have a fit if I make you late. Or she'll expect the worst."

"The worst?" Bella blurted out before she actually thought about it. "Uh, never mind."

Edward laughed. "Actually, to her it probably wouldn't be 'the worst'."

"Uh, let's get to your car, and maybe find a different topic of conversation." Bella had enough. She could not flirt with this man; it would be a complete mess if they ever got involved, not that she expected anything, but regardless, she was treading on dangerous ground. She followed him to his silver Volvo, and they rode to the Cullen house with only the radio to listen to.

They drove into a neighborhood, and Bella noted the name—Cherry Hills Village; it sounded fancy. Bella's mouth dropped open; she knew they would live in a nice neighbourhood, but nothing like this house. The driveway itself was longer than the street Bella grew up on. She was pretty sure that Edward noticed that her face was practically plastered to the window looking at the house.

The house was made of a beautiful beige stone, and the steps leading up to the house looked like they were leading up to a museum.

When Edward stopped the car, Bella got out and still could not close her mouth.

"Wait until you see the inside. Your bedroom might be Rosalie's personal dream, but this house is nothing short of her Mona Lisa. I think if Carlisle ever moved cities for a coaching job, Esme might stay here. If she couldn't, Rosalie would make Emmett but this house. It was built in 2001, and when they bought it, Rosalie went to work."

The front door was an intricate iron design with clear glass behind it. Edward held the door open for her. She looked into a huge foyer with the tallest pillars she'd ever seen in a house, and she gawked at an amazing chandelier on the ceiling.

The rest of the family came out to greet them, and Bella was hugged immediately by Alice. "You made it! I knew Edward would make you late. He always needs to make an entrance."

"No, it was my fault." She held out the gift bag. "This is for you, Esme."

"Thanks so much Bella. You didn't have to."

"It's nothing."

"May I open it now?"

Bella nodded.

She opened the gift and pulled out the book. "Oh thank you! I was going to go out tomorrow and pick it up, especially after you gave it such a great review earlier this week. Now I'll be distracted all afternoon wanting to read it." She gave Bella a sweet hug. "Come. We are sitting out on the back deck by the pool. Did you bring your swimsuit Bella?"

"Uh, I didn't, but that's no problem—I'd probably end up cracking my head open on the bottom or something. I don't have the greatest luck or coordination."

"Nonsense! You can wear one of Alice's," Emmett said with a smile.

Bella looked at Alice for a second and her eyes widened. Bella was a small girl, but nowhere near the petite size of Alice.

"Uh..." She didn't know how to respond.

"Ignore Emmett. If you don't want to swim, you don't have to," Rosalie said as she lightly smacked her fiancé on the chest.

Bella chuckled.

The group headed toward the back of the house. On the way, they passed a games room with the most detailed pool table Bella had ever seen, a beautiful white grand piano, and a huge flat screen TV mounted onto the wall.

On the deck, there was a barbeque built into the same stone of the house. There was an iron table under the canopy of the deck; it looked out onto a beautiful stone pool and hot tub. Along the back wall sat a fantastic fountain.

"Your house is amazing, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, and Rosalie, the interior is gorgeous. You are phenomenally talented with decorating. It's beyond words."

They thanked her and they all sat down.

The men got into a conversation about the upcoming season, and Bella joined the conversation about Rosalie's wedding.

"You need to come dress shopping with us Bella. It'll be so fun." It was Alice.

"Shopping and I aren't on the greatest of terms, and I can just imagine what kind of mess I could make in a bridal store." Bella replied trying to get out of it, but she could tell by the looks on all three women's face that she really didn't have a choice.

"But you have to. You'll need to write about it!" Esme replied sneakily.

Bella admitted defeat.

After some short conversations, the boys—minus barbecue chef Jasper—and Alice, took a swim. Rosalie Esme and Bella prepared the salad, set the table, and poured the wine. The meal was finished, and it was time to eat. The dinner was steak—obviously expensive steak—and Bella felt for the first time that this barbeque was probably too intimate for her. Steak was for private family dinners, not casually get-togethers.

After dinner, the conversation was running low, and the sun was beginning to set. "Do you want a tour of the grounds?" Edward asked Bella as he watched her admire them from afar.

"Yes, please." Bella smiled.

He lead her down the steps passed the pool and pointed out the carriage house, where any extended family always stayed when visiting. He couldn't help but smile as Bella took it all in. He walked her up a short set of stone stairs over to the iron gazebo. "This is where Esme and Carlisle renewed their vows for their twenty-fifth anniversary. Rosalie and Emmett probably would have gotten married here too if she had wanted a summer wedding. For some reason though, she wants a winter wedding with snow in their wedding photos. So, they are getting married at the Brown Palace Hotel—it's beautiful. They've booked a bunch of suites for the family even though we all live in Denver."

Bella laughed.

"Alice is in her element, no limits weddings are her favourite, and since her and Rose know each other so well it is even easier for her to get the Bride everything she wants."

"Most guys don't know this much about other people's weddings. Some don't even know this much about their own weddings. You guys are close aren't you?" Bella asked, smiling.

"Yeah—we're one of those families. It's good though. I remember when Emmett and I were both playing juniors in different cities, and Carlisle, Esme and Alice were here. He was the offensive coach here at the time. It was one of the only times we weren't all together as a family. It was the weirdest thing—I think we were all just a little bit lost not living near each other. We know that because of the careers we are in, there isn't much of a chance of us always living together, but we try our best."

"That's sweet. My family is the exact opposite. I grew up with my mom in Phoenix, visited my dad a few times a year, and then when college happened, it wasn't even a big deal that I was moving away. After college, I still never went home. We get along great—I call them both every week, but it never bothered us to live apart. I don't know, I guess families just function different."

"Yeah, that's true. Although I think I'd like to play against Emmett someday. That would be fun—me winning the Stanley Cup and him not." It was something he'd thought about a few times, and he knew that Emmett would find it just as amusing if it went the other way.

"What if he won and not you?" Bella asked, as if reading his thoughts.

"Oh God! The bragging would be endless, but I'd be happy for him. Sometimes he gets put in my shadow because I score the goals. He gets the hits, and even though some hits are memorable, the goals get more recognition. If we did get split up, then it would be nice to see him win. It wouldn't be a 'Cullen boys' thing— it would be an Emmett thing." Edward glanced over to the patio at his family. "I don't think it bothers him or anything, but sometimes I feel like he should get more recognition. I'd like to see him win the Norris trophy."

"I don't really know what that is, but I'll read about it in my book."

Edward laughed.

Bella glanced at his family. "You seem like a really nice guy Edward—but let me guess, I shouldn't repeat any of those things to Emmett, or in my articles?"

The article thing hit him hard. He liked Bella, but sometimes it was easy to forget that she was writing for a magazine. He didn't expect her to print anything he wasn't comfortable with, but he should not be getting involved like this. He needed to remember that.

"Edward, Bella. Come back to the patio! We're going to play a game." It was Emmett's voice booming across the yard.

They looked over and saw Alice waving some board game, but neither could read what it was from where they stood.

"You like board games? It's kind of tradition at the barbeque. We always play some game or other." He seemed unsure of himself.

"Of course, everyone likes board games," Bella replied with a smile.

They hurried back to the porch and found the family setting up Taboo. "Have you ever played Bella?"

"No, not this game." She casually grabbed the cover to the game and looked at it.

"It's easy. You get in teams and there is a word you are trying to get your teammates to guess. You cannot say that word, obviously, but you also cannot say any of the other words on the card. If you do I get to buzz you." For effect, she pressed the awful buzzer down, and Bella cringed.

"Normally, you are supposed to play on two teams. That is how we usually play because we've always had an odd number, but I've secretly wanted to know which of us couples is better at it." Alice smirked at her brother.

Emmett did the same in reply.

"But since you are here, you and Edward can team up, and we'll just do a free for all for points. Four different teams. Bragging rights are very important in any big family—you should put that in your article."

"Yeah, I'll see if I can fit that in somewhere." Bella was a bit nervous about teaming with Edward, she'd probably make a fool of herself, and she was still trying to stay away from the bronze haired guy as much as possible. The gazebo conversation had not helped; how could you pull yourself away from a guy who spoke so caringly and protectively about his family.

"But just so you know, Bella, every other time we play this, Edward hardly gets any points. You'll have to work extra hard." It was Emmett this time.

"Won't matter though, because Alice and I are pretty much unstoppable." It was Jasper; he and Emmett were mockingly staring each other down.

"Ok, let's get started." Alice pushed the pile of cards to her father and had the buzzer at the ready.

Tell me what you think...there's a little chemistry brewing between our favorite couple. Please review!


	6. Chapter 5 - Far From Home

Hello again!

Thanks so much for the reviews and the feedback, I really enjoy reading them, I'm glad everyone seems to be enjoying this story. I am also flattered that there are people reading it for a second time. Thanks!

So I really love this chapter, (probably because I'm biased) it gets things moving. I hope you enjoy. Oh, and the Taboo game...all the cards are right out of the box...I found them randomly by flipping through cards...the last one made my day!

Chapter 5 –

It was Edward and Bella's turn again—their last turn. They were the last to go, and they were on the fifth round. For most of the game, everyone was about equal for points. At the end of their final round, Carlisle and Esme had fourteen points, Emmett and Rosalie had twelve, Alice and Jasper had twelve.

Edward and Bella had eight.

"We have to get seven, Swan."

"It took us four rounds to get eight—we are not going to get seven," Bella replied with a smile.

"I feel good about this round," Edward replied.

"I'm pretty sure you said that about round two as well, and you didn't get any," Jasper laughed.

"Yeah, and we have the most in one round. You won't beat five," Emmett chimed in and put his arm around his fiancé.

"Yeah, you have no chance. We've already won." Carlisle joked as he lightly hugged his wife.

"Everyone, be quiet," Esme said with a grin, shaking her head at her family.

"Yeah, just let them lose already," Rosalie taunted Edward.

"You're just saying that because you've already lost," Alice joked.

"You did too baby sister," Emmett lightly shoved her.

"Whatever," she turned to Bella and Edward. "Are you ready?" Alice had taken over the role as the game organizer and seemed ready to be finished.

Edward had a pile of cards in front of him and was ready to start.

He pulled the first card. CAST he couldn't say actor, fishing, broken, plaster, or bone. "Tori Spelling was a blank member of 90210."

"Cast?"

He dropped the card. The next one said CANOE, he couldn't say boat, paddle, Indian, water or birchbark

"This one's hard! uh...like a kayak..."

"boat?" Bella asked.

"No...uh fur traders would carry these in a portage"

"Canoe."

Edward grinned and grabbed the next one. It said CRIME, he couldn't say, arrest, law, illegal, commit, or prison.

"Blank Scene Investigation"

"Crime."

"Yes!" The next card said RAINBOW. He couldn't say over, clouds, gold, sky, or sun. "Skittles; taste th..."

"Rainbow," Bella laughed.

The next card said ALONE—he couldn't say solo, single, self, only, or nobody, "A song by Heart."

Bella's face went blank.

"Till now, I always got by on my own..." he had pretty much no pride left by this point anyway, so singing didn't hurt too bad.

"Alone! Please stop singing." She cut him off.

The rest of the table was either staring them down, or laughing their heads off.

The next card said KEY; the forbidden words were door, open, car, lock, house.

"Alice holds the blank to Jaspers heart."

Alice burst out laughing.

"Key," Bella said between laughs. "One more!"

Edward looked at the card and his eyes went wide. It said VIRGIN, he couldn't say girl, sex, young, pure, and innocent. "Uh...if someone's...uh cherry hasn't been popped they are a..."

The entire group burst out laughing—Alice was in tears she was laughing so hard.

"Virgin," Bella said between laughs.

"Edward!" Esme cried out between her own laughs.

The timer ran out.

"We won!" Edward smiled at Bella who looked amazing with pink cheeks and a huge smile across her face.

"You never win," Rosalie chimed in.

"Maybe it's because my team always sucked," Edward replied back; then he winked at Bella.

The group wound down a bit, and Alice turned to Bella. "You need to come back again Bella. I don't think we've had that much fun playing a board game in a long time."

"Me either. It's been a blast!" Bella replied.

"Yeah, but we better get going home." Emmett put his hand on Rosalie's shoulder. "Us men have practice tomorrow and only two weeks until Sweden. I'll bet our coach will push us pretty hard in the next little while."

Carlisle shook his head at his son.

"Yeah, we better get going too," Alice said as she finished putting the game back into the box. Jasper was up quickly, not because he wanted to leave, but because Alice had said it. He was completely smitten by her. Bella thought it was adorable.

"You ready to go?" Edward asked Bella.

"Only if you are. I don't want to rush you or anything." Edward nodded and gave her a hand up—which she really didn't need since she was sitting in a chair—but she let him anyway.

They all headed to the front doors. Bella was very surprised, but also flattered that she received the same hug and peck on the cheek from Esme that both Rosalie and Alice received. Edward noticed too, and he couldn't help but smile. She fit right in with the family. He knew that he shouldn't have been having those kinds of thoughts—he barely even knew her—but couldn't help the thoughts from invading his mind.

"You get her home safe," Esme said to Edward and gave him a hug and his own peck on the cheek.

"Sure thing." Edward smiled and hugged both Rosalie and Alice before he walked with Bella to his car.

On the ride home, Bella sighed and relaxed in Edward's car.

"Tired?" he asked.

"Your family is amazing, but they definitely tire you out. So much energy," She replied.

Edward laughed. "Yeah, they are a riot."

They sat in silence for a few more seconds.

"So, are you coming on the Sweden trip?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, I must have just missed the information on it when I was reading my package of stuff I needed to know. My boss would definitely kill me if I didn't go."

"Do you like your job? Your boss?"

She didn't answer right away.

"Sorry if it's too personal..."

"No, sorry. I do like my job. I hated doing self help stuff, but the magazine is a really nice place to work. Now that I'm writing real articles, I think I'll like it even more. Angela, my boss is great—she's a good friend."

"That's good. Lots of people hate their jobs, not me of course, but I guess it depends on if you get to do what you want."

"Yeah, I doubt I'd be happy if I wasn't writing," Bella replied.

The two sat in silence for the rest of the ride and into the apartment. The silence continued as they got onto the elevator.

When they reached the eighth floor, Edward got off with her and walked her to her door. It felt like a date, but Bella kept reminding herself that it wasn't a date.

"Well, I got you home safe," he said as they stood at her doorway.

"Yeah, thank you." Bella looked up to his face and when their eyes met. They connected and both leaned in. His fingers skimmed her cheek, and it felt very intimate; like they'd known each other much longer. When they were only about an inch apart, Bella came to her senses and turned her head slightly so that his kiss met the side of her lips.

Edward pulled back and bit his lip. "Sorry, I..."

"Yeah, I know. You're a really sweet guy, Edward, exactly what any guy should be, but the situation—my job, and I live in Miami, and I wish it wasn't like this..."

"But it is." Edward finished the sentence. He knew he should step back, but he couldn't stop himself from stroking his thumb across the back of her hand. "I know what you mean. I like you, Bella Swan, a lot, but I know where you're coming from. I'm going to go upstairs. I'll see you at the arena sometime."

Bella just nodded and went inside her apartment.

For the next two weeks, Bella did her best to stay away from Edward. She couldn't be away from him all the time, but she tried to always make sure they met up in safe places or in group situations. It worked, but they both knew she was doing it; it was hard not to know.

She wrote the first article during those weeks. It was a basic introduction to the family. She hoped that she managed to give just enough information to get people interested, but also leave them waiting for the following month's article. She had mentioned the upcoming trip to Sweden in the article, and she knew that would catch the readers. She sent it to Angela and had already gotten amazing feedback on it.

The team was travelling to Sweden on a chartered flight—they left earlier in the day. The families of the team were all travelling separately, but most of the family members were all on the same American Airlines flight that connected in Chicago. From Chicago to Stockholm, Bella sat across the aisle from Alice, Esme and Rosalie. Next to her was Amy Mercer, Tristan Mercer's wife. She'd met her a few times; she was a former model, and now she was about five months pregnant—and still drop dead gorgeous. She also, apparently, was terrified of flying.

Amy was clutching the arm rests like her life depended on it. "Bella, why don't you switch me seats?" It was Esme from across the aisle.

Bella just nodded and moved to sit next to Alice. She watched as Esme tried to calm the poor woman down.

"Amy, just relax. In a few hours you'll see Tristan again, and you'll be In Europe! I know you've never been to Sweden before. You'll love it, and you can buy lots of amazing things for that beautiful baby boy inside you."

Amy put one hand over her stomach.

"But for now, think about that little boy. It's not good for him if you get too worked up. Remember that he feels what you feel."

Amy seemed to relax.

"I'll bet you were up all night getting absolutely no sleep, just calm down a bit and let yourself fall asleep. You'll wake up and we will practically be in Sweden."

Bella sat and watched the exchange. For the first time, she saw how amazing of a woman Esme Cullen was. Bella had known from the first moment she'd met her that she was a good person and mother, but it wasn't until right then and there that Bella really knew _how_ great she was. Esme Cullen was born to help people, born to protect those she cared about, and she was just amazing.

"Are you alright Bella?" Alice asked her from beside her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something." She looked to her friend and put on a smile, she wasn't quite ready to reveal her thoughts. She knew Esme would feel uncomfortable if she did, and the woman deserved much better than that.

Bella fell asleep about an hour into the flight and woke up only when the pilot was announcing the initial descent into Stockholm.

"Did you have a good sleep?" Rosalie asked her. Alice was not in her seat, she was waiting in line for the washroom. "Have you not been sleeping well? You were out cold for that whole time. You should have seen Alice try to climb over you."

The truth was that she hadn't been sleeping well; her avoiding Edward did not keep him out of her mind. He appeared a lot, and when the dreams woke her up every night, she wasn't ever able to get back to sleep. "No, I guess I've just been excited about the trip. I couldn't sleep—I've never been out of the country before, so this is a big thing for me."

"Europe is very beautiful. I love visiting," Rosalie said as Alice was returning from the washroom.

Bella looked over to where Esme and Amy sat. Amy was sleeping peacefully, and Esme was reading a book. "Is she doing okay?" Bella asked Esme.

"Yeah, she fell asleep almost right after you did. Hasn't woken up once," Esme replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, now that I've been able to sleep."

"Yes, I've noticed you've been tired lately."

"Excited about the trip mostly," Bella replied, but she couldn't help but feel that Esme saw right through her.

"Of course," Esme replied politely.

The pilot announced the final descent, and everyone put their seat tables up and readjusted their seats.

Amy woke up for the landing, and Bella watched in awe again as Esme kept her as calm as possible.

After the landing, they all piled off the plane and found that the Cullen boys and Jasper were waiting for them. Their flight had arrived about six hours earlier. Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper all held flowers. So did Tristan, who visibly calmed when he saw that his wife wasn't too much of a wreck.

Bella gravitated to Edward just to give the couples privacy.

"Good flight?" he asked with a half grin.

"I slept through most of it. But as far as I can tell it was good," Bella replied casually.

He laughed.

"Let's go get your bags." They walked to the Carousels and the rest of the group followed.

Bella was the last to get her bags, and she felt an all too familiar embarrassment come back. Thankfully, nothing embarrassing happened with her bags—not that she had brought anything to be embarrassed about on this trip.

Everyone stood in a group after all the bags were collected. "So, Bella, you sure you've got all your bags. None burst open or anything?" It was Emmett.

Before Bella could even try to muster up a response, Rosalie hit him in the face with the roses he had brought her.

"Ow! fucking thorns, Rose." He practically yelled to the entire room. Many people looked to see what was going on.

"You deserved it," Rosalie replied, and then looked to Bella with a big smile.

The moment was forgotten, and Bella was extremely grateful to Rosalie.

The group headed to the exit and climbed into a shuttle bus that was taking them to the hotel. Bella and Edward were in the far back seat. The families were staying at the same hotel as the team. It was a much more relaxed environment than if it was a regular season game. Normally the players would be kept mostly away from their families—trying to focus on the game ahead, but in a foreign country for a preseason game, it was much more relaxed.

Bella could not keep her eyes away from the window. It was amazing, Europe was very different from everything she knew; it was like a different world. "It's amazing, so different! I really wish I'd had the chances to see more of the world, like I should have taken a year off to travel or something after school was finished."

Edward smiled at her excitement.

"Have you ever been to Sweden before?" she asked him.

"Yeah. When I was in juniors I played for team USA, and the World Juniors were in Sweden that year. Europe's pretty amazing," he replied. "I'd like to see more of the world too. Most countries aren't hockey countries, but I've seen some."

"I've always wanted to see Europe, but I just never had the chance. Now that I've been here though, I know I'll have to come back and see the rest," Bella replied.

The moment was sweet, both of them felt completely comfortable. It was risky, they both knew it, but couldn't stop it—not that they wanted to.

Edward put his hand on top of Bella's; she pretended not to notice, and she didn't pull away.

When they arrived at the hotel, Bella was reminded again that she was living well beyond her means. The hotel had to be about a five star—four and a half at the lowest.

She was rooming With Rosalie while Alice and Esme stayed together. The team was staying in their regular room assignments that would remain the same for the season—Edward with Emmett, Jasper with Tristan, and Mike with Tyler.

The ladies needed to get settled, so they went to their rooms, showered, changed, and got ready for dinner. As the women got ready, the players and Carlisle met for a meeting in one of the hotel conference rooms.

They got the usual pep talk about even though it was a pre-season game, they were still ambassadors of the NHL, and needed to act like it. It felt like a high school field trip speech, but they were guys, and Carlisle knew what their maturity level was. That level of maturity seemed to drop if there was even a little drinking involved, or the excitement of a new place—so both mixed together could be potentially disastrous.

After most of the team left, Carlisle gave his first line a second talk about being role models for the team. "You know we aren't the oldest members of the team _dad_." Carlisle scowled when Emmett called him dad—they had an agreement that it wasn't supposed to happen when he was coaching, but Emmett enjoyed joking around.

"Yeah, but I know you _can _behave if you try," Carlisle replied. "And if you don't try, you'll pay for it on the ice tomorrow afternoon."

"Yes, coach," Mike Newton said with a smile as he walked out the door. Tyler followed him nodding at Carlisle. Tristan followed soon after, dialling someone on his phone, more than likely it was Amy.

"That kid's annoying." Emmett watched them walk away.

"Yeah, but if he keeps the puck out of the net, and the players off my ass, then who cares?" Edward slapped his cousin on the back. "Let's go get food."

"You know, _Eddie,_ I'm the one who keeps the puck out of the net," Jasper replied.

Edward hated hockey nicknames, usually they were last name jokes, but since he and Emmett both had the same last name, they'd turned on his first name. Emmett had been spared an annoying nickname—probably because the guy was huge, but Edward was still determined to get him a nickname.

"Shut up _Jazzy_." Jasper also got stuck with a first name nickname, but that was only because it was much more fun to mess with the name Jasper than Whitlock. "Besides, you are the last line of _defence._"

"Go eat." Carlisle practically pushed them out the door. "And you all wonder why I need to give the 'high-school' style pep talk. You'd think that would be obvious."

They walked to the lobby where they met up with the ladies and headed to the restaurant.

"All freshened up?" Edward asked Bella. Again, the two gravitated toward each other. They both told themselves it was more for convenience than anything, but they both knew it was a lie.

"Hopefully," she replied.

They went into the restaurant and headed to the salad bar. There was an area of tables set aside for them all. Bella got her salad quickly, while Edward stayed behind and got a few extra things.

He and Emmett finished about the same time and headed back to the table. Mike had sat down next to Bella and was talking adamantly about something. She seemed focussed on her salad.

"You might be right—that kid is annoying," Edward said before he thought about it.

Emmett eyed him suspiciously, catching the meaning behind the statement. "She's nice..." he said cautiously. "You interested?"

"She's only here for ten months, and with the whole article thing would make it awkward..."

"That's not what I asked you cuz. But I think I've got the answer now," Emmett replied knowingly and walked to the table and sat next to Rosalie. Edward followed and sat between Emmett and Bella. He could tell she was more relaxed now that she wasn't alone with Mike. Newton was a nice guy, but he just couldn't read signals very well.

The dinner conversation mostly focused the upcoming games against the two Swedish teams. All the players seemed excited to get back onto the ice for a game—none of them had played since April or May of that year, and it was a long break.

After salad, a waitress came around to take everyone's orders. Bella looked at the menu and almost choked when she looked at the prices. They were astronomical. She had her credit card that was being paid for by the team—or whoever was actually paying her bills for the year—but she felt that there was no way she could just put a dinner like this on that credit card. It wasn't fair to whoever was paying for it. She ordered one of the cheapest meals on the menu and declined dessert when the cart came around.

"You don't want anything?" Edward asked her with an almost horrified expression. "It's dessert! You cannot turn down dessert!"

"Edward's right Bella, it's dessert!" It was Emmett next to her.

"I'm not really hungry anymore," she replied simply.

"Liar, your chicken meal was not that big. Just eat dessert, they all look phenomenal." Alice eyed her suspiciously.

"No thanks," Bella said again to the confused waiter.

The bills for dinner came around after everyone else finished their dessert. Mike offered Bella several bites of his dessert, but she declined. He still wasn't really taking the hint very well. Bella grabbed her bill. When she opened her purse, instead of taking out the Master Card that Angela had given her, she took out her personal Visa and slipped it inside the folder with her bill. She refused to even look at how much her dinner cost.

She handed the bill to the waiter when he came back, and Edward glanced at it for a second. He saw the Visa card and at first didn't think anything of it, but then remembered running errands with Esme back in July when she was preparing for Bella's arrival. One of the things he had helped with was working with the PR people and getting a Master Card account for the expenses. He knew it was a Master Card—not a Visa. So why was Bella using a Visa?

He thought about it for a few more minutes and realized she had only a single glass of wine and then only drank water. He'd bought one of the simplest, and most likely cheapest, items on the menu then she hadn't eaten dessert. So either no one had told her that the credit card was for her everyday expenses—including food—or she felt bad using it.

He guessed it was the latter because she had been so adamant about the dessert, and she seemed to be withdrawn from conversation more than usual. She wasn't outgoing on regular occasions, but even when he or Alice tried to spark conversation all evening she had given one word answers.

"I'm going to go to the washroom," he said as he quickly got up and followed the waiter.

"Excuse me?" Edward called to the waiter.

He turned around.

"The bill with the chicken meal on it—for the brunette next to me—put it on my card, please."

"Uh, yes, definitely sir, would you like to return her card to her?" the man asked.

"Uh, yes please." The waiter handed Bella's card to him, and he headed back to the table.

"That was fast," Bella said as he sat down.

"Here." He handed the card back to her under the table. She was confused until she saw what he was putting on her lap.

She looked furious. "What did you do?" she whispered vehemently at him.

"You shouldn't have to put that on your personal card Bella—you have a charge card for that."

"So you what...put it on your card?" She stayed quiet enough that no one around noticed the anger between the two, not even Mike, who was chatting with Lauren and Tyler.

"Yeah, it was no big deal..."

"You had absolutely no right to do that Edward. Just because I don't have a multi-million dollar salary does not mean I can't pay for my own dinner."

"Is everything alright?" Rosalie asked, seeing how Bella was clenching her teeth.

"Actually, I'm really not feeling that good. I think I'm going to go to bed—jet lagged and all. I'll go pay my bill out front," Bella said as she got up.

She walked over to the waiter who informed her he had already put it through on Edward's card. "Fine, have a good night." She said with a little too much anger directed towards the waiter; after all, he hadn't really done anything wrong.

A few couples, including both Alice and Jasper, and Emmett and Rosalie, headed out soon after Bella did, but Edward stayed behind and talked about the upcoming games with the rest of the group.

Everyone began to disperse a little while later, and Edward headed into the lobby. He noticed he had several missed calls on his phone—all from Emmett.

He dialled his cousin's number.

"Hello?" Emmett answered sounding distracted.

"You called?"

"Uh, yeah...so Rose is visiting our room for a while. You need to disappear for a few hours."

"Emmett..." Edward began.

"I don't care what you do, but need I remind you that a certain roommate of Rosalie's is now free for the evening. Who knows, maybe you could just stay the night there, and Rosalie could stay here."

"Were you ever taught subtlety?" Edward asked.

"No. So, are you going to sleep elsewhere or not?"

"Yeah, whatever. I'll bunk with Carlisle or something." Edward replied.

"Pussy."

"Fuck off," he replied. "I'm coming to the room to get some stuff, and then I'll be out of your way."

He stopped by the room to grab what he needed. After handed him his bathroom bag from around the edge of the door where she was apparently naked and hiding, he quickly grabbed a change of clothes and disappeared.

He headed to see his uncle. When he got to Carlisle's room though, there was no answer. It was starting to get late, and Edward weighed his options. He could go back to his room and refuse to leave, but if Emmett didn't kill him for it Rosalie sure would. He could camp out in the hallway or a broom closet somewhere; but then if he was found, he'd probably be thrown out, and that was something he didn't really want to have to explain to the press—or his aunt and uncle. That left option number three...He was going to kill Emmett if he somehow managed to survive this night.

Okay. There it is...where's he going to go? Pretty obvious right? Tell me what you think.

Oh! Also, we are almost at the point in which we get some actual hockey games...which is awesome because Edward playing hockey is hot...simple as that.


	7. Chapter 6 - Far From Normal

Hello.

Thanks again for all the positive feedback I have received for this story so far. You are all amazing.

Here I am again. Here is chapter 6. I don't have too much else to say...I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 6 –

Bella sat in her room flipping between the few TV Channels that were in English. She'd already changed into pyjamas—a pair of shorts and a tank top—and wondered where Rosalie was. It was getting pretty late, but that would be one of the upsides of having a fiancé.

She was just about to brush her teeth when there was a knock on the door.

"Way to forget your key Rosalie. I'm coming." She headed to the door and opened it without even peeking first.

"Shit," Edward said under his breath as he looked her up and down.

Instantly, her shorts felt too short, and Bella wished above all other things that she slept in a bra.

"Excuse me?" Bella asked and grabbed the robe hanging next to the door in the closet.

"You look...uh, wow." He stumbled over his words.

"As great as that may be, why are you here?" She asked angrily, as she tied the robe around her waist. It was huge, practically falling off her which likely looked fairly comical.

"Well, your roommate's fiancé is my brother...and roommate," he started cautiously; she had obviously not cooled down about earlier.

"That's great. I noticed there were some nice couches in the lobby." She closed the door in his face and leaned her back against the door afterward.

He knocked lightly, almost as if he knew she was still right there. "Bella...I'm sorry...please?" he said, barely loud enough for her to hear. She dropped her head and let her hair spill around her face. He sounded vulnerable. He wasn't supposed to sound that way.

After another few seconds, she opened the door to find him leaning on the doorframe looking at the floor.

He looked up and his eyes met hers. "I'm sorry about dinner." He instinctively said. "I just knew that it wasn't a company credit card that you tried to use—wrong kind of card. The team is partnered with Master Card. I didn't know what else to do, because you shouldn't have to pay for that."

"How I pay for dinner is my business, Edward. If I don't feel comfortable using a company card for an overpriced dinner, I'm not going to do it. The card is for necessities, and that price for food is not necessity." When she finished, she dropped her arm signally he could go into the room.

"Bella, look around—look at this hotel—the organization is not hurting for money. Besides, how are you supposed to learn about my family if you are eating down the street at some reasonably priced place?"

"It doesn't matter how much money the organization has, I'm not going to take advantage of it. This whole article thing doesn't even feel like a job anymore. I'm supposed to write about Esme, Alice and Rosalie's lives—not live in them. I fell into that trap in Denver, and dinner was kind of a smack in the face. This is your life, not mine. It's only my job—all the family barbeques, the shopping with Alice, the cafe with Rosalie, and...you are all part of that job. I'm supposed to shadow this world and not take part in it. I'm not a part of it."

Edward could tell this went much deeper than just the cost of dinner.

"But just being here makes you a part of all of our lives. If we don't acknowledge you, and just let you observe it'll be a lot less natural than if you get involved. It's kind of like when I'm getting ready for a game—the other team will put a defender on me, no matter what. Usually it's the same guy for the entire game; any shift I'm on the ice, they'll be on the ice. We pretty much know ahead of time who that guy will be, and we study his tactics—the way he skates, hits, everything we can, but no matter how much I study it, you can't really know what it'll be like until you're on the ice against him. You don't learn by watching, you learn by doing."

She nodded a bit, but still wasn't convinced.

"I think it'll make a better article if you really know us. We...they act like themselves around you. The Alice, Rosalie, and Esme you know are the same as the ones I know."

"I don't know, it just doesn't feel like work—it feels like a vacation. I need to remember that it is work. I can't get caught up in everything without looking at the big picture."

"What's the big picture?" he asked as Bella dropped into one of the chairs that sat on either side of the little round hotel table.

"I go home in ten months. I go home to my dream job, writing whatever I want to write for the magazine, and this life stays here. I've worked for this opportunity for years. It's been two weeks and it already feels like months. It feels like this is my life, but we all know that it isn't."

"It is for now, and I think—and I'm sure the others would agree—that the best way to understand our family is to experience it from the inside."

Bella let out a long breath. "This is a really loaded topic. I don't even think I want to talk about it anymore."

"Do you want me to go? I'm sure I can get a room at the front desk. If you need your space, I'll go."

"No, that's just a waste of money. There are two beds, so you might as well sleep in here." She moved and crawled under the covers of her bed, then threw the robe across a chair after she was under the covers. "But I get the remote," She said jokingly, and Edward couldn't help but notice how quickly she dropped the conversation and switched the entire mood around.

They sat in silence as Bella switched through the limited choices on English channels. "I don't really see anything—you look, but I get to approve." She threw him the remote after flipping to a news channel. He grabbed it.

Bella glanced at the news and saw a familiar face. "In other news, there was some out-of-the-ordinary drama at the White House this morning..." Edward switched the channel.

"Oh my god, go back!" she almost yelled at him.

He flipped it back.

"...the female journalist still remains nameless, but we have been told that she was scheduled to interview the first lady. She was escorted out by two members of the white house staff, and we've also been told that an agent was also escorted out of the building soon afterward."

"Oh this is golden!" Bella had crawled to the foot of the bed right in front of the TV. Edward watched her, and was reminded of what a child would do if they saw a commercial for a toy they really wanted. A huge smile grew across her face.

"I'm confused," Edward finally said.

Bella looked over to her new roommate, the grin still firmly in place. "That chick, her name is Jessica, and she works at the magazine with me. When I got this job, she got an interview with the first lady, and I could have killed her—especially after she rubbed it in my face. I wonder what she did to get thrown out of the white house." The smile grew. "Karma's a bitch!"

Edward laughed light-heartedly. "Who knew you' be so happy in another person's failure. I'm afraid to think about how you'd react if something happened to me."

"You at least had good intentions in your actions. Jessica is just a bitch."

"So does that mean I'm forgiven?" he asked trying to sound as pathetic as he could.

"I guess...for now," she replied laughing.

She got off the bed, remembering that she still needed to brush her teeth. As she walked toward the bathroom, Edward got up and went to grab something from his kitbag and they bumped into each other. Instantly he was very aware that she and taken that robe off and the barely-there shorts and tank top were all she was wearing. They stood silent, standing next to each other for a few seconds before Edward could muster anything to say. When he did, it was simply her name in a husky whisper.

She quickly broke the moment. "We can't go there," she said.

"Why not?" he finally asked. He was worried that he may have opened the can of worms, but they couldn't go around ignoring it forever, especially if every time they touched, it felt like time was freezing.

"Why not? We've talked about that. It'll be a major conflict of interest. I can't be in a relationship with a member of the family I'm supposed to be shadowing. _And_ even if I could, I'll be walking away in nine and a half months."

"So, it's okay for you to become good friends with Alice and Rosalie, but we can't be anything more than acquaintances? I'm not saying we need to get into a long term relationship, but we need to at least figure this out. I know I'm pushing this, but come on, you felt that."

"Yeah it's called lust, and what if that lust goes away before my time here is up? What if something happens, and then we will have to deal with a break-up while still trying to work alongside one another?"

"I don't know. I don't have all the answers to any of this anymore than you do, but I can't get you out of my head. As soon as I saw you in that bar I wanted to know you—not just fuck you—but to really know you. There was something...is something that draws me to you, and I won't lie, it scares the shit out of me because stuff like that doesn't happen to me. One thing you need to know about me though, is that I don't run away from what scares me."

"I do," she said honestly. "And I'm scared of either falling for you when I can't have you, or screwing up and putting my job in jeopardy." She dropped back into the chair.

"But what if it does work out?"

"How can it? It would have to be a secret, temporary, no strings attached thing that will end when I leave. And we can't really plan that."

He sat down in the chair opposite her. "Right now, all I know is that I want you more than any other woman ever."

"I want you too," she said barely over a whisper. "After the barbeque when you tried to kiss me, it took all I had not to open that door and drag you inside."

He just nodded.

They sat in silence for a few minutes until Bella got up and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. When she came out, Edward had taken his jeans off and had only his t-shirt and boxers on; he had his toothbrush and went into the bathroom as she went out.

Bella sat on his bed, which was closer to the washroom, and she contemplated what to do. The real Bella Swan did not have flings with anyone ever—especially not complicated ones with super sexy hockey stars.

But, the real Bella Swan also didn't move to Denver where weather actually existed, she didn't write about sports (ok...the families of sports figures), and she absolutely never let work and her outside life get mixed up...and she'd done all those...

So, the logical explanation was that the real Bella Swan was sitting on a beach in Miami somewhere, and imposter Bella Swan was in Sweden sitting on a hotel bed. And it was imposter Bella Swan that listened for Edward to finish brushing his teeth before opening the bathroom door, grabbing his hand, and then pulling his face down to meet hers.

Edward was shocked at first, but almost immediately responded to the kiss. When she gave him the opportunity, his tongue darted inside her mouth, and she could taste the cinnamon of his toothpaste on her own tongue.

She led him backwards until they stood inside the hotel room, and she broke the kiss. "You can't tell anyone. It's our secret. No strings attached, just sex...hell maybe just for tonight, but no one gets to know and no regrets. If it doesn't work, then we walk away."

"One condition?" he asked as he kissed down onto her neck.

"What?"

"You tell me what the airport incident was." Bella pulled back from him and for a second he was afraid he'd scared her off by bringing that up.

"You don't know?" she asked searching his face.

He shook his head. "I never asked. It brought you to tears, and I didn't really need to know that badly."

"Afterward," she said simply.

He nodded.

His mention of the airport incident reminded her of why she brought her vibrator to Denver in the first place, and it made her want him even more.

His lips were back on hers, and he backed her up to the first bed in the room. "Other bed," she said as he moved back to her neck. "This one's Rosalie's." He looked at the bed for a quick second and wrinkled his nose before moving his hands to her upper thighs; lifting them to wrap around his waist, and he carried her to the other bed.

He set her down, sitting on the edge of the bed, and he knelt in front of her. His lips met hers, and he thrust his tongue inside her mouth, but this time she immediately met his tongue with her own. One hand crept up under the strap of her shirt and pulled it halfway down her arm, exposing her bare breast. She moaned into his mouth as he lightly squeezed it, and then she pushed her chest forward out of instinct. Without breaking the contact, she pulled her arms out of both straps and pulled the shirt down until it sat right above the waistline of her shorts.

Edward broke the kiss and moved lower, kissing down her neck at first, then his lips found her left nipple while his other hand pinched and teased her right. She continued to moan. Without thinking about anything but the heat pooling at her core, she reached one hand down and slipped it beneath the waistband of her shorts and rubbed her finger over her sensitive nub. Edward noticed and lightly bit down on her nipple. "A little eager?" he asked, looking up to her eyes.

"Oh, sorry! Selfish much...I guess I'm just used to doing it myself." She pulled her hand out embarrassed, but he shook his head.

"God no! don't ever feel bad about doing that. I can wait," he replied.

She ignored him and grabbed the bottom of his shirt, pulling it off. She stood up, and then motioned for him to do the same. She slipped her bottoms and the tank top down her legs, and then she kicked them somewhere in the room.

She could see how ready he was through his boxers. She reached under the waistband and pulled them down. They ended up lost like her pyjamas. Edward looked at her with an intense gaze; she instantly felt exposed and plain next to the perfect specimen in front of her. His body was amazing. He was toned, rather than bulky, which she would have expected as a pro athlete, but you could still see that he was the product of many years of intense workouts. She thought about him seeing her too-small breasts and average body and awkwardly crossed her arms in front of her stomach.

He could tell instantly that something changed in the room. He took a step closer to her and put his hands lightly on the sides of her arms. "Bella, are you okay? If you've changed your mind, it's okay. We don't have to." The tone was intimate, too intimate for what was supposed to be a casual no-strings-attached fling, but Bella pushed those thoughts from her head. He'd misinterpreted her actions.

"No, I don't want to stop. It's just, you're...well... perfect."

He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "Well, you're beautiful," he replied.

She opened her mouth to protest but he caught her by surprise and kissed her again. Immediately the heat was back and she pushed the moment into the back of her mind and made herself think only about the man in front of her—the man who needed to start touching her somewhere other than her arms.

He seemed to have read her mind because his hands slipped to her back and down until he cupped her ass. He lifted her up and set her down on her bed. He pushed her back so that her head hit the pillow, and then he climbed onto the bed next to her. His mouth found her breast again. He licked and sucked at her sensitive nipple. His hand was rolling the other nipple around between his thumb and finger. She made quiet moaning sounds and groaned in protest when his hand left her nipple.

She quickly realized what his intentions were, though, as his hand made its way down across her stomach and her hips bucked up when he finally reached her core. She could feel him smile on her chest at her reaction. He stroked her a few times before stopping at her clit. His fingers were wet with her juices and he began to massage the tiny nub.

"Oh! God!" Bella called out. "Edward..."

His mouth left her breast and met her lips again. The kiss was intense, and if it was possible, it made her even wetter combined with his ministrations at her core.

His hand pulled back and lingered just above her. She whined at the loss of contact. "Oh, did you like that?" he asked as he pulled his head back, they were no longer touching anywhere and it was killing her.

"Edward! Come on, please." She lifted her hips to his hand but he just pulled back even farther.

"I think you're just a little too eager." He mocked her, and she struggled not to do anything. "I think we'll have to slow things down a bit," he joked and rolled a little away from her.

"Like hell," she said as she rolled with him. "My turn." She grabbed his cock at the base and he froze instantly. She ran one finger from base to tip and she could see he was struggling to maintain control. He had the sheets in a death grip. She began to stroke him a bit harder before she circled her hand around him and pumped him. He moaned, and she stopped. "Oh, did you like that?" she repeated his earlier statement and took her hand off him.

His eyes narrowed at her teasing. "Touché," he replied, and before she could respond, he flipped her onto her back and he was half on top of her. He looked at her face looking for any sign of regret, but he only saw the same need he had.

"Edward, now! Please...Inside..." She barely got the words out as his hands roamed her body.

"Uh..." He practically jumped off her and ran to the washroom returning with two little foil packages from his kit bag.

Before her mind could even completely comprehend that he had left, his heat was back, and she watched as he opened one of the packages and rolled it onto himself.

"Bella...are you..." He wanted to make sure one last time.

"Do _not _finish that question," she shot back at him.

He smiled and positioned himself over her. He pushed in slowly, but she lifted her hips just as he pushed in farther and almost immediately he had completely filled her.

"Fuck," she whispered. He was bigger than any of her previous partners and filled her completely. She reached her hands behind him and dug her nails into his back lightly.

"God, you're fucking tight," he groaned into her shoulder. He was completely still.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"You've got to fucking move!"

And he finally did. He pulled a little out of her and then thrust back in, going slow at first, and then, after a few strokes, she was moaning and wiggling even more underneath him. He went faster and harder. The noises she was making got louder and they both knew she was close. Finally, she came and clenched down on him. It brought him even closer and after a couple more thrusts, he came and collapsed half on top of her.

Finally, he rolled off of her and disposed of the condom in a garbage can that was sitting under the night stand.

"Wow," Bella finally broke the silence.

"Yeah, pretty much," he replied.

"By the way, about what I said earlier—that was not just a tonight thing," she finally said.

"Thank God for that."

Bella propped herself on her side and ran her fingers across his abs.

After watching her satisfied face for a few minutes, he brought up his condition again. "So, the airport incident?"

Bella dropped her head and buried it in his shoulder.

"I don't think so, Swan, you owe me." He wrapped his arms around her waist and rubbed up along her back.

Her face reappeared and she looked into his eyes. "So, have you ever had you luggage get destroyed while in the tender care of airport staff?"

"No."

"Neither had I..." she continued and told him the story.

"What a prude," he said about the mother. "Bratty kid too. Shouldn't be grabbing things that aren't his," he joked.

"It's really not funny, it's humiliating."

He pulled her even closer. She was now pretty much on top of him. "You shouldn't have had to go through that, and Esme never should have told Rose."

"I didn't tell her to keep it secret. Besides, I was so happy I still had a job after her seeing the whole thing that I wouldn't have cared if she told the entire apartment building."

"Yeah, but she should have known Rose would have told Emmett, and Emmett is not so great with subtlety."

"I doubt she told her because it was a funny story. She probably told her because she felt sorry for how pathetic I was. Your aunt is probably the sweetest person I've ever met."

"Yeah, she's pretty spectacular. I don't really remember much from back when my parents died, but I remember that every night I missed my mom singing me to sleep. She had a beautiful voice. For the first two weeks, Esme stayed in my room until I fell asleep and then slept in an armchair by the bed for when I'd wake up. I had terrible night terrors—she got practically no sleep, but I never remember her being tired. After those two weeks, she sent Carlisle across the country to Seattle to visit my mother's parents' house, and she had him bring back tapes they had of my mom singing. After I had the tapes, I only woke up once in a while, but for another two months she still slept in that chair." Edward stared at the ceiling, and Bella nuzzled as close to him as she could.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that at such a young age."

"Yeah." That was his only reply and the conversation seemed to be over.

The two readjusted themselves so that they could sleep comfortably, and almost instantly, Bella fell asleep. Edward reached to the table and turned the forgotten TV off, and then he fell asleep

A few hours later, Edward woke to the ringing of a cell phone. "What the fuck," he mumbled.

Bella stirred next to him. He grabbed the much-hated piece of technology and opened it. "Yeah?" he asked groggily.

"Um...Who is this?" A female voice asked him with a confused tone to her voice.

"Edward Cullen, who the fuck is this?"

"Is Bella Swan there?"

That woke him up, and he realized it was not his phone in his hand. "Uh, Bella?" he asked into the phone, but he didn't hear the woman's reply. He rolled to face the woman next to him. "Bella?"

"What? I'm sleeping," she mumbled half-awake.

"I answered your phone."

She sat up instantly and tore the phone from his hands.

"Bella, It's Angela. What's going on? What are doing?"

"Sleeping...or at least I was." Bella got out of bed. She apparently paced when she was nervous. Edward sat watching her in the low light of the cell phone. She didn't seem to mind that she was completely naked, and he sure wasn't going to complain.

"Sleeping? Bella it's the middle of the day, is Denver taking that much out of you? Never mind. The reason I'm calling is that there is a plane leaving Denver in two hours for Miami, and I need you on it. My assistant has a ticket waiting for you at the check in. This thing with Jessica is a mess. She fucked a secret service agent in the White House...or at least made out with him. I don't know if they finished by the time the president's wife walked in the room. Fucking disaster for the magazine, but she is still willing to do the interview. She is coming here to Miami out of the graciousness of her own heart, and I need you to do it. No more Denver—no more sports. You get to come home!"

"Uh, Angela—I'm in Sweden."

"What? Fuck, you are, aren't you?" she paused.

Bella could tell how stressed she was because Angela never swore, and she had said fuck in its various forms three times in thirty seconds.

"Tammy, find the first flight out of Stockholm for Bella," she said to her assistant in the background.

Bella looked to the man in the bed in front of her. He look tired, dishevelled, confused, and sexy as hell. He was looking at her; she knew he could hear at least part of the conversation between Bella and her boss. "Angela, I think I want to stay here. I'm...committed to this...project." She chose her words carefully, but she could also see Edward relax slightly at her statement. "It wouldn't be fair to anyone for me to leave."

"Bella, I need you here," Angela began. "This is what you've always wanted isn't it? The First-Lady of the country, Bella, this is a big deal."

"And the Cullens are people. I can't just leave in the middle of this project."

"Another writer can do that job, Bella."

"It wouldn't be fair. Besides, if anyone should interview the first lady it should be you. It would tell her that you were extremely sorry for what happened before and that you take this magazine seriously. It would tell her, and the owners, that after a terrible mistake, no one less than the boss would be good enough to interview her." Bella didn't get a reply, she heard Tammy say something in the background about flight times. "Angela?"

"Fine, you're probably right anyway. It should be me. Now please explain why Edward Cullen, star of the Chicago Avalanche is in your apartment...uh, hotel room I guess."

"Since when do you watch hockey?"

"Ben does," she replied referring to her boyfriend. "But stop avoiding the question."

"It's like four in the morning Angela."

"And as soon as you answer, I'll let you sleep."

"Rosalie, Emmett Cullen's fiancé is my roommate, and she wanted alone time with her fiancé—who is rooming with his cousin," she replied.

Edward had a smirk on his face, and she shook her head at him.

"Well that's much more boring than I was hoping for, but I guess the last thing I need is another Jessica situation."

"Now, can I go back to sleep?" Bella asked miserably, realizing that what she did was the same as what Jessica had done.

"Yes. I'm sorry for waking you."

"Good luck on the interview."

"Thanks, bye."

"Bye." Bella closed the phone and casually threw it onto Rosalie's bed.

Edward saw her face before she closed the phone, and he had the bedside lamp on in a heartbeat.

"You are not that other girl Bella. This—what we did—is not the same."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that," she replied and crawled into bed away from him. She felt gross, and she regretted what they had done.

"Bella." He was right behind her in the bed. "No regrets, remember? Besides, it isn't the same! That girl had sex with a guy she had just met while she was actually working. She was at the fucking White House! You would never ditch a dress fitting for Rosalie, an event with Esme, or even a shopping trip with Alice for sex—even if it was with me."

She smacked him at the last part of the statement.

"What that Jessica girl did showed no class and no morals. You've been trying to fight this for two weeks because you have all those morals that she lacks."

Bella rolled to face him. "Fine, no regrets. But you owe me."

"I do?" he grinned.

"Yeah—I gave up the first lady for you. You definitely owe me, and I demand you repay me in excessive amounts of hot sex."

"I guess I'll have to pay the price."

At ten the next morning, Edward's alarm went off to signal he needed to get up for practice. They had scheduled ice time for twelve, but they planned to get to the arena by eleven to learn the game plan, stretch, and warm up.

"Tired," Bella said as her warm bed mate got up, and she stirred from her sleep.

"Jet lag," he replied, sounding very refreshed and awake.

"Why do you not have jet lag?" she asked. "Aren't you tired?"

"I've been awake for half an hour. I just didn't want to wake you. I rarely get jet lagged—I travel a lot."

"Jerk," she said as she moved to get out of the bed.

"You can stay in bed."

"No. If you're up, that means Emmett is probably up, and Rose will be coming back in here. I think we are shopping today—something to do with what European wedding stuff looks like. Alice is in her glory." Bella followed Edward to the washroom. "Shower with me?" she asked suggestively.

"No point—I'm going to be all sweaty in a couple hours anyway. I'll shower afterward."

Bella nodded, grabbed a towel, and climbed into the shower. "Your loss though." The shower curtain was clouded but mostly see through. Edward could see her outline as she turned the shower on.

He groaned.

"Believe me—I know," he replied as he felt his cock twitch a little. He could hear her laugh over the sound of the water.

At ten-thirty, Bella was drying her hair wearing the oversized robe, and Edward came to the bathroom door to say goodbye.

"I'll see you later?"

"Yeah. Will Emmett and Rosalie need a private room again tonight?"

"I don't know—we'll see. We can hope though. If not, I happen to know you have other means of getting release."

"Shut up! I did not bring that thing with me!" Bella threw a face cloth at him.

"Fine...fine. Have fun today."

"You too—bye."

"Bye." She heard him walk to the door and open it, but before he stepped out he called back to her. "It is too bad you don't have it here. I'll bet I could have a lot of fun teasing you with that."

She was around the corner of the door instantly ready to throw a hairbrush, but he had already closed the door behind him. She planned her revenge silently.

She was almost finished brushing and drying her hair when she heard a knock at the door. "Bella it's Rose! I left my room key somewhere in Emmett's room, let me in?"

Bella walked out of the bathroom. "I'm come..." Bella stopped when she quickly realized that Rosalie's bed was still made—the bed Edward was supposed to have slept in. "Uh, hold on." She pounced on the bed and ripped the blankets off as best she could; trying to make it look slept in. In the process, one pillow flew off to the side and in the space between both beds. She reached down to grab it and caught a glimpse of the condom in the garbage. "Shit!" She said under her breath and put the pillow back, grabbed the condom, and ran into the washroom to flush it. After it went down the toilet, she instantly felt gross—even if it was her and Edward's bodily fluids all over it, it still was gross.

Finally, she opened the door to Rosalie, who had showered, but was dressed in the same party dress from the night before. "That took forever," she said jokingly as she walked by Bella. Bella went to the washroom and washed her hands quickly as if Rosalie could see the evidence on them.

"So, did you have fun last night?" Rosalie asked as Bella exited the washroom. Bella instantly felt like she must have missed something, but after a few seconds, realized that Rosalie was just being nice.

Damn, she thought, it was going to be difficult to be sneaky and secretive.

Edward skated effortlessly across the ice, swerving around the other players that all seemed a lot less-rested than him. This made him smile because they didn't know it, but he'd had as much fun— if not more—than them the night before.

After several sad attempts at drills, they were did a scrimmage to end the practice. He and Emmett were on opposite teams. Whenever they did a scrimmage, the top forwards would play opposite the top defence players. He evaded his cousin easier than ever and laughed at him as he would turn and try to catch up. Edward was always the faster one, while Emmett was always the stronger one. It was easy to avoid Emmett on the ice—just keep ahead of him, and Edward was pro at that.

He went toward the net at Jasper, who also looked a little on the tired side. The puck went in easily in a shot that Jasper should have gotten.

"Guess my cousin wore you out last night, huh?"

"Let's not talk about my baby sister like that," Emmett said as he caught up with Edward.

"You just don't want to bring it up because you look worse than Jasper," Edward replied. He was in an extremely good mood this morning.

"You may be right about that one Edward," Jasper began. "But the reason we look like shit is the same reason you don't. In fact, it seems like it's just you and Newton in that boat." Emmett laughed at that, but Carlisle had skated over to the net, and the entire team was gathering for what was going to be a bad talk.

"So, it seems as if we are all having an off day today don't we?" he asked and looked around at the team. Edward noticed that pretty much any player who had a wife or girlfriend was looking a little worse for wear this morning. He couldn't help but smile because while they were all exhausted from the sex, he was completely energized from it. He was pretty sure he'd crash later in the day, but it was worth it.

He noticed that Carlisle's gaze had centered in on him.

"Don't smile, Edward. I know what role you would have had to play in all this. I'm pretty sure you and Emmett didn't share a room last night."

"Sure didn't," Emmett piped up.

"So I guess that makes you an accessory to the crime." Carlisle turned to the rest of the group. "Listen, this may just be an exhibition game against a team none of you will ever play again, but if you don't take this seriously, and you don't focus, you'll play like what I just saw out there and get your asses handed to you. Practice is over for the day. Tomorrow we have the ice at ten. And please stay in your own beds tonight—without any visitors." The team began to skate to the bench. "Edward, Emmett, Jasper—I think the three of you should stick behind and move the nets for the zamboni."

The three did it wordlessly.

As they were exiting the ice, Edward put his arm around his uncle with a big grin on his face. "You know uncle, that speech about focus and being in our own beds would have been a lot more convincing if I hadn't found your room empty after Emmett kicked me out last night. But I guess since Alice was in Jasper's room, that left aunt Esme by herself." Emmett and Jasper heard that and burst out laughing.

Carlisle tried to stare at him seriously for a few seconds, but he couldn't hold a straight face either.

The four laughed for a bit but finally Carlisle looked up. "It's a good thing Esme likes you boys, or I'd have traded you all by now."

"Sure, coach," Edward teased.

Jasper paused for a second. "But hey, you know, Edward, that poses an interesting question. If Emmett kicked you out, and you couldn't get into Coach's room...where'd you sleep?"

So? What do you think? I always feel weird about what kind of response that initial sex scene is going to get. Please be nice...but also honest.

Edward's in a bit of an awkward situation...what might happen next?

Oh also, I know that Angela calls the team the **Chicago** Avalanche. I made that mistake when I initially wrote the story, but I promise that I've written a fix in later.


	8. Chapter 7 - Going Home

Hello!

Hope everyone had a good weekend...I know I did, even if I am a bit sunburned. Here is Chapter 7. A little bit of time passes in this chapter, and we get our first exhibition game. Bella's first live hockey game...yay.

This chapter has a little bit of filler, but I think it gets things going. We are about to hit a little bit more drama for our couple, and this chapter gets us going.

Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 7 –

"Eddie here slept with Bella," Emmett chimed in before Edward had to.

"With her as in?" Jasper asked

"As in the same fucking room," Edward added, after noticing Carlisle no longer seemed to enjoy the joke.

"Why would you do that, Edward? You should have found somewhere else to sleep. Do not put that poor woman in a situation like that ever again. She is here on professional grounds, and you should not make her feel as if she has to share her room just because you are one of the Cullen's," Carlisle lectured.

"I wasn't really given a choice was I?" Edward defended himself.

"In case you forgot, I know what your contract is, so I also know you could have gotten a room for yourself."

"It wasn't a big deal. We watched TV and made fun of a story involving one of her co-workers—well, ex co-workers I think, and then we went to bed. If she had been uncomfortable at any time, I would have left and found somewhere else to sleep." He felt as if he were a high school student again—situations such as this were definitely one of the downsides to working for the man who raised you.

"I better not hear anymore stories about someone in this family embarrassing that girl—or putting her into an awkward situation again. These articles are important to the women we care about. We spend our lives in the limelight and Esme, Alice, and Rosalie play a background role to that. We all know that those three women should not be in the background for anyone, yet they do it for us every single day. This article is not about us—it is not about our careers, and we should not do anything to screw it up for them. So keep your asses in line and in your own damn beds while on this trip." He didn't even wait for a reply before walking to the locker room.

"He's probably right," Jasper finally said.

"Yeah," Emmett added.

"Looks like we'll all be lonely this week boys," Edward added, and then they followed Carlisle.

"Well, you were going to be anyway, so no loss for you," Jasper added quickly before hurrying away.

After an entire day of shopping—something she had not done since the day her mother tried to find her a prom dress at the last minute—Bella was exhausted. There was another big dinner ordeal that evening in a restaurant down the street. There would be press attending to interview players and to record Carlisle's team speech. Bella figured she'd get her first real taste of the Cullen's in the limelight. There had apparently been a big ordeal when the team arrived at the airport, but since she had been sleeping somewhere over the ocean at that point, she hadn't been there.

She chose a simple skirt and top for the dinner; it was something that was nice but didn't really draw much attention to her either. Alice met her at her room and frowned at the simple choice of outfit, forcing her to accessorize some so that she didn't "look too much like she was going to court or something."

After Bella was properly accessorized, the group met with the team and headed down the street. Several cameras flashed pictures of the entire team going by, but inside the restaurant was another story. There was almost an entire side of the restaurant set aside for press; it seemed insane to her.

Alice pulled Bella to the other side of the restaurant, and they sat down.

"This is crazy!" Bella said over the talking in the background.

"This is nothing! It gets worse—especially when playoffs come around, or if we visit big hockey cities," Alice replied watching the chaos.

"Do you ever get used to it? I feel completely claustrophobic right now"

"Sure, no big deal. Think of it this way—if anything was ever to happen, and you felt uncomfortable or as of you are being pushed around too much—you have a big team of tough hockey players right there, and you cannot get hurt," Alice replied cheerfully, then looked back to the action in the corner.

Bella didn't listen very closely to the speeches; she watched the women around her. Alice kept a perpetual smile on her face and nothing seemed to irk her. Rosalie watched with what someone else might think was indifference, but Bella saw her move slightly when anything was asked that was either a little mean or too personal. Esme watched with a very calculated face; you could see she was making sure the press was being as nice as possible to the team members. She was definitely working, but logically, it was what any good wife or mother would do— protect her own.

Finally, when the big press conferences were finished, the team spread out and were approached individually. Again, Bella felt claustrophobic from the crowd and decided to duck out for a few minutes.

She was out on the abandoned patio; everyone was inside even though it was still warm enough for outside eating. She heard the door open, and then listened as the murmur from inside disappeared again. She knew it was Edward even before a hand touched hers and led her around a corner where no one inside could see.

"Shouldn't you be inside playing nice and smiling for the cameras?" she asked as his hands met her hips.

"I should be," he said next to her ear.

She smiled.

"So, I'm a distraction?"

"Possibly." His mouth found her neck.

"That's disappointing—the entire city of Denver will be let down if you are not in top form. I don't know how I'd live with that."

"I guess the sex will have to stop, then." His hand moved higher to cup her breast, which was again not covered by a bra.

"Too bad for the city of Denver."

"Or too bad for Bella," he teased and moved to her nipple. It felt great, but she came back down to earth.

"Edward, stop! We're outside, and you can't get me all aroused then expect me to go back in that room. In case you haven't noticed—no bra—and I'd prefer not to have everyone see my nipples."

"Just tell them it was a bit nipply outside," he responded and pulled himself away from her body that he'd already aroused. She punched him in the stomach. It probably hurt her more than him, but it was worth the look of shock on his face. "I probably deserved that."

"Yeah, in fact, you deserve another one for that comment as you left the room this morning." She didn't hit him again. "But you can make it up to me tonight."

His face fell and he simply shook his head.

"You're kidding right?"

"Nope. Coach had a fit over the room switching last night. So it's you and Rosalie," Edward replied.

"That blows." She was not happy. "We should go back inside though—they'll wonder where their superstar went."

As soon as she finished speaking, and the two walked back toward the door, Alice appeared. "There you are. Is everything alright?" she asked.

"Uh, the crowd just got to me—sorry," Bella replied.

Alice eyed her cousin.

"I saw her walk out and thought she looked a bit off, so I wanted to make sure she was okay." Edward added.

"Well I'm here now. You go be a superstar, and I'll make sure Bella's alright out here."

Edward obediently walked to the door, he winked at Bella from behind his cousin.

"I feel a bit better now, and I think I want to go back inside," Bella chimed in.

Alice looked her over to make sure she seemed all right. When she seemed to approve, they walked inside.

Dinner was uneventful, and after the press had taken off, it actually had become a quiet affair. As they walked back to the hotel, Edward came up beside her. "There's something I meant to ask you last night," He wasn't talking too loudly, but it didn't seem like it was that private either.

"What?" she asked cautiously.

"I know you don't, but does your boss actually watch hockey?"

"Not really. I think her boyfriend, Ben, does—he likes most sports, but she probably sits and reads while it's on. Why do you ask?"

"Because she called us the Chicago Avalanche, and neither of you even picked up on it."

"It was four in the morning," Bella protested. "I'm sure if she had called at a decent hour, I would have noticed."

He tilted his head mocking her.

"Okay, no I wouldn't have, but I'm sure if I mention, it she'll apologize several times."

"No big deal—she seemed stressed."

"I've never heard her swear that much. Jessica must have really fucked up."

"Literally."

Bella didn't even respond, she just shook her head at him.

It was three days later, and the exhibition game was about to begin. The two anthems had just finished, and Bella sat in awe of the crowd. This was a big deal here—she couldn't understand a word anyone said, but they were enthusiastic enough that it didn't really matter what they said.

She sat next to Alice in one of the box suites. Rosalie and Esme were sitting nearby.

Practice, she had been told by Edward, had gone better since the first jet lagged and overly tired one. They felt confident as a team in this game. There was a quick skate before the game began, and she watched Edward stop in the center of the ice across from a Swedish player and prepare for the face off.

He won the faceoff and almost immediately after it happened, Bella surprisingly got lost in the game. She watched the back and forth effort and was startled every time someone got slammed into the boards. She was on the edge of her seat whenever the puck went anywhere near either of the nets. It was intense and much more interesting in person then when she would watch it with Charlie on TV. She was so lost in the game that she jumped with Alice when Tyler scored with seven minutes left of the first period. Edward got the only assist.

The rest of the first period was uneventful, and during the break, Bella and Alice got themselves some type of extremely strong European beer just so that they could say they'd tried it—it was not good. Afterward, they continued to watch the intermission show—which probably would have been better if they knew what they said.

In the second, the game took off. In the first three minutes, the Avalanche managed to score again—this time it was a player on the second line; almost immediately afterward though, when Edward and Emmett's line was back on the ice, Emmett took an elbowing penalty.

"That's ridiculous!" Alice screamed beside her. Bella wanted to duck down but no one even really noticed.

On the penalty, after a quick shot on Jasper the rebound went right to Tristan who went to shoot it down the ice, but instead he shot it right to Edward who was near the blue line. When Edward had the puck, he raced on a breakaway toward the net. He faked the shot, then backhanded it right into the net. Bella and Alice both jumped up again and they watched Emmett jump up and hit the glass in the penalty box.

Before the penalty was over, the home team managed to get the puck through traffic in front of the net and just passed Jasper's glove hand. The room erupted in cheers, and Bella watched the celebration. Even though they were still down by two, the crowd was ecstatic. "Wow!" Bella said over the noise.

"I told you before—just wait until playoffs or a big hockey city. You'll be amazed when the team goes to Canada," Alice replied back.

The game continued on, finishing with the Avalanche 5 and the home team 2. Edward scored a second goal and was named the first star of the night. As he headed to the locker room, he gave his stick to a young fan and signed several autographs; Bella smiled at his sweetness.

After the game, there was going to be an endless series of press conferences and locker room interviews. The four women headed back to the hotel and decided to take advantage of the hotel hot tub.

"So, what did you think Bella? How was your first ever live hockey game experience?" Esme asked as the four all sat comfortably in the heated water letting bubbles hit them from all angles.

"It's much better seeing it live than on TV. I used to watch with my dad when he visited for holidays, but by watch, I mean he'd watch, and I read a book or do homework or something. Live is much better—you get the excitement, the crowd, and can just feed off the energy."

"Yeah—watching on TV is nothing like the real thing," Rosalie agreed. "Don't tell Emmett, but when I watch it at home, I usually flip between it and the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy or Desperate Housewives." Bella smiled and the four fell into silence in the nice warm water.

After about ten minutes, Alice broke the silence. "So mom, do you think your dictator husband will be nice and let his players choose their sleeping arrangements tonight?"

"Doubtful—they still have another game on this trip."

"Yeah, but we fly back the day after that game and need to be at the airport at five in the morning. There will be no chance to have fun European alone time that night," Alice protested.

"We'll have to suffer through it. It's hard enough for your father to deal with the players acting out, so you better not get involved."

"Yes Mother," she replied mockingly.

The two-week trip seemed to fly by, and after another decisive win of 4-1, the Avalanche were headed back home. The families were on a horrible early morning flight, and the team was leaving later than day. They got to sleep in.

Bella had hardly seen Edward for the rest of the trip, and every time they were together, it was in a big crowded room full of other players, the press, or his family. They were both so wound up by the end of the trip, that Bella considered bringing out her vibrator for a little release until Edward got home that night. She decided not to, and chose to wait for him to get home. The flight was supposed to get in at seven in the evening, so she expected him around eight-thirty or nine, maybe earlier depending on how busy the airport was. She sat on her couch and flipped through channels. Eventually, letting the jet lag take over, she took a nap.

She woke to find the sky was bright outside and the clock in the kitchen said it was almost ten in the morning. She'd fallen asleep, and she was mortified. He'd probably come by and she'd slept right through it. "Fuck," she said under her breath. She went to her phone and found that she had three missed calls from Edward. One from around 9:30; the other two were after ten o'clock. She'd completely missed her desperately needed booty call.

In the shower, she brought herself some release, but it paled in comparison to what she knew Edward could do. It was going to be a long day.

Edward woke the morning after arriving home and first thing, he checked his phone. He considered calling Bella, but he was a little afraid she was pissed off. Their flight had been delayed by over two hours and had barely landed when he called her the first time, she didn't answer.

He'd tried again after picking up his bags and again after the cab had dropped him off at the apartments. By that time, he deduced that she was pissed at him for not showing up when he should have. He didn't try going to her apartment—it would seem too desperate—even if he was far beyond desperate.

He had a perpetual hard on for almost the entire flight thinking about Bella; it was a good thing for airline blankets and confining jeans. It took all his self-control to go straight to his apartment. He took a shower and jacked off before going to bed.

When he had gotten up and dressed, he decided he didn't feel like making breakfast so he headed out to go to a good place for breakfast. He got into the elevator and soon enough, was in the lobby of the building.

He saw Bella a few steps ahead of him and hurried to catch up to her. "Bella!" he called.

She quickly turned around and he barrelled into her.

"Sorry."

He steadied her, and she finally looked up to him. Neither said anything for a few seconds. He removed is hands from her sides. "I was just going for breakfast. You want to join me?"

"I already ate, but I could use some coffee, I ran out of filters," she replied without looking into his eyes.

"Sure." The two walked slowly and silently to a nearby cafe that Edward had gone to a few times. After being given a table, Edward couldn't take the awkwardness anymore. This wasn't really part of the deal. "Listen, about last night," he started.

"I'm so sorry," they both said quickly. Bella's head shot up and met Edward's eyes.

"Why are you sorry?" Edward asked confused.

"I fell asleep..." Bella started slowly. "I really didn't mean to, and my phone was on vibrate."

"Don't feel bad. The flight was delayed by two hours. When I called you the first time, we had barely landed, and the second and third calls were even later. I didn't feel right about going to your apartment because I was afraid you were mad or asleep—which apparently you were."

"Yeah, I don't know, sorry," Bella replied weakly.

"Don't be sorry."

"Believe me—I'm sorry I fell asleep." She wasn't looking at him but she knew he got her meaning.

He laughed lightly. "Yeah, and I'm sorry the flight got delayed."

The conversation faltered for a while. Edward ordered, and Bella drank her coffee.

"So, do you have practice today?" Bella finally asked trying to find some way to break the silence.

"Uh, no it's an off day. Everyone's supposed to relax and get over the jet lag, so we've got an optional skate tomorrow."

"You going to go?"

He nodded.

"I bet you never skip optional skates."

"Barely ever. I don't remember the last one I missed that I wasn't on injury."

"So, what was your plan for the day?" Bella asked.

"Well, since I was supposed to spend the night at your place I figured by now we might be out of bed and in the shower or on the couch maybe," he joked.

"Jerk."

"I'm just being honest. Did you have somewhere you needed to be?"

"No. After your uncle kept everyone in their own rooms, the couples wanted some alone time. Stuff I _don't_ need to cover for this article."

Edward laughed.

"Well we could spend the day together—do something."

"Something?" she suggested.

"Not necessarily that, but we can leave it on the table."

"What else you have in mind?" Bella pushed farther.

"We could catch a movie," he suggested.

"You aren't kidding are you?"

"Well we can't do that all day and night. And I don't think us going to the movies is a breach of our agreement—friends can go to the movies regardless of the benefits they get after that movie is done."

"Fine then. We'll go to the movies, but I'm going to pick the movie."

Bella found it extremely easy to have a good time with Edward. They ended up at the latest action movie, but neither saw much of it. In tacky high-school hormonal fashion, the two ended up making out in the back and let it escalate some not-so-innocent fondling. Somewhere in the back of her mind that voice kept telling her that she needed to keep this casual and quiet, and movie dates in public were probably not going to help that.

As soon as the credits began to roll, the two rushed out of the theatre and found their way back to Edward's apartment.

Bella couldn't help but notice that while her apartment was beautiful, his was even better. He had top of the line everything. It was pretty much a bigger, more masculine, and obviously more expensive version of the apartment Rosalie had designed for her.

"You like it?" Edward asked as they made their way into the room. His lips were on her neck but he could tell she was looking around.

"Uh, yeah," She replied as he lifted her up to sit on the back of his couch.

"You want a tour," he whispered into her ear then nipped at it with his teeth.

"Later." She wrapped her legs around his waist and ground his erection into her.

He groaned. "It feels like it's been forever." He had his hand up her shirt and unhooked her bra in the back with one hand.

"I know." She lifted her shirt over her head and let the bra fall off her arms to give him better access. He moved his head down and met her nipple with his lips. He toyed with her left for a few minutes, then moved to her right. As he did, his hands moved to undo her jean capris. With her legs still around his waist, he put his hands down the waistband of her bottoms to cup her ass and pull them down a bit farther. He lifted her up from the couch and got her pants and underwear over her ass then she unwound her legs as he pulled them completely off.

"Your turn." She reached for his shirt but he stopped her and shook his head.

"Not yet. I'm going to play for a bit." He made sure she was steady on the couch before he spread her legs even farther and got down in front of her. She almost fell backwards as soon as his mouth reached between her thighs. Before she fell, she grabbed his arms which were still holding her legs. He laughed a bit before continuing. He stroked her with his tongue, and after he could tell she was almost completely gone, he put his tongue inside her. She suppressed a scream.

Edward couldn't get enough of her, and he could tell how she was trying so hard to hold on both from going over the edge and falling off the couch. He continued licking until he nipped down on her clit and one of her hands went into his hair. She pulled almost a little too hard, but it felt amazing.

"Come on Bella," he whispered just loud enough for her to hear him—she was so close.

As she was just about to go over the edge, there was a knock at the door.

"Fuck."

Bella's head shot up, and she took her hand off Edwards's arm which caused her to fall backward over the couch with a squeak.

"Shit, are you okay?" he whispered to her.

"Edward, open the door!" It was Alice on the other side of the door. "Hurry up! I don't want to go dig for your key."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Ow, what should I do?" Bella got up and looked at Edward.

"Uh...come on." He grabbed her arm and took her into what was apparently a workout room.

When he left the room, she hid in the closet and sat on top of a pile of towels. She was completely naked. She felt horrible and cold.

Edward ran back to the living room and tried to clean up some of Bella's clothes just as the door opened. It wasn't just Alice there, it was also Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie.

"Uh, what are you doing with those?" Emmett asked casually as Bella's bra fell to the ground out of his arms.

"Are you kidding Edward? What did the poor girl wear home?" Rosalie asked. "And how long have these been here?"

"You probably don't want to know the answer to that one," Alice replied. "Let's just get rid of them. If mom or dad saw these..." She didn't need to finish. She hurried over to Edward and took the clothes, walked over to the kitchen, and dropped them into the garbage.

"Those are someone's clothes Alice!" Rosalie called to her.

"Not like we'll ever see her again, anyway." She eyed her cousin. "Come on. We are meeting Mom and Dad at After Hours."

"Maybe I had plans," Edward protested.

"Break them. We are doing a nice family dinner—we haven't had one in forever," Emmett replied. "And if the four of us have to give up our plans, so do you."

"Can you just wait for..."

"Come on." Alice practically dragged him out of the room.

Bella sat in the closet. She was pretty sure there was no one in the apartment, so she grabbed one of the towels she had been sitting on and ventured out of her hiding place. She could not find her clothes—which included the key to her apartment that was in the pocket. She looked around trying to figure out where he would hide them, but they weren't anywhere.

She decided the next best thing to do was to go find something of Edward's to wear. She found his room easily enough and thanked god that athletes owned lots of t-shirts and sweat pants. She wandered around for a little while, but eventually grabbed a book from his bedside table and began to read it.

Almost two hours later, she could hear someone outside the door. She dropped the book on the couch and ran back into the workout room closet. She couldn't hear everything, but she knew Edward wasn't alone either. She spent another hour in the closet, while him and his family talked and had drinks. On more than one occasion, she wished she were brave enough to storm out of the closet and demand to know where her keys were, but she'd had enough public humiliation lately.

After they finally left, Edward was at the closet door in a second. "I'm so sorry Bella. I didn't know...they weren't supposed to...and the clothes...Alice just."

"I just want to go back to my apartment, Edward. Where are my keys and clothes?"

"Oh...you didn't hear that part. Uh, well Alice kind of threw them out in the garbage I probably should have cleaned before we went to Sweden. I'll go get your keys and wallet."

She got out of the closet and followed him. When she reached the front room he had the keys and the wallet. "I'll get the clothes cleaned."

"You know what? That's fine—I don't wear those that often anyway." She was lying of course; it happened to be her favourite bra, and she loved the Capri pants. However, she also doubted she'd ever want to wear them again. "Just leave them. All I need is to get to my apartment."

"I'll ride down with you," he offered.

"Nope. That's fine," she replied simply and walked to the door.

He looked miserable standing next to the garbage. "Edward it isn't your fault. Don't look so guilty. Secrets are hard to keep. We'll deal with it later."

She walked to the door, and Edward simply let her leave before collapsing on the couch. He'd been there staring at the ceiling for only about fifteen minutes when the phone rang.

"Hello?" he said, not recognizing the number.

"New rule. Only at my apartment—no one will appear here unannounced."

"Uh, ok," Edward replied glad she wasn't really angry. "You're okay Bella? Not mad?"

"I'm not mad, no—but I will be if you aren't down here in the next two minutes."

He was already at the door when he hung up the phone and tossed it onto a table by the door.

So what did you think?

Personally, I would be pissed if my clothes got thrown out...but I think Bella acted pretty well (Much better than I would have).

Again, if you have the time, please review. I love to hear what everyone has to say.


	9. Chapter 8 - Home Ice Advantage?

Hey all. Not much to say about this chapter...

thanks again for everyone's support. To hear that people are re-reading this from when I originally posted it...I'm so happy to hear that. Thanks guys.

So enjoy!

Chapter 8 –

Edward was staring at Bella in her bed later than night. Her blanket was just at her waist, and the only thing covering her gorgeous breasts was a thin sheet that hid very little. It was about eleven, and soon after a few good rounds of Edward making it up to her for the closet incident, she had fallen asleep. Now that she was okay and asleep, Edward had a lot to think about. He had been so worried about Bella during the dinner with his family that he hadn't really comprehended the conversation as much as he should have.

The Denali's were going to be a problem. Apparently, Mallory was looking for someone to co-own the team, and it was looking like it was going to be the Denali's. He knew Tanya must be behind it. Her father was extremely rich and would do anything for his daughter, but seriously? Buy a fucking hockey team! He'd met Mr. Denali, and the man did not watch hockey at all. He fucking hated the sport—calling it barbaric and the joke of professional sports. He watched golf and Baseball. "Those were gentlemen's sports." He had once told Edward when Tanya had dragged him to dinner at her family home.

Edward and Tanya dated when he had first started playing in Denver. He thought he had made it fairly clear that it was not that serious—they were too young, but she got attached. He broke it off with her when she started wearing a diamond ring on her left ring finger (which he had not bought for her,) and started telling the press at his games that they were "getting close" while flashing the ring for the cameras.

After the breakup, she made his life miserable; trying to coax him to take her back or just to piss him off. She'd call him at all hours of the night before games crying for him to take her back. Those calls led him to play like shit the next day. Once, she showed up at the apartment dressed in a knee length coat and nothing else. The worse she tried was breaking into his apartment and fucking some random in his bed. She'd been trying to make him jealous, but she only succeeded in making him mad. When he'd returned home he flipped out, but not because he was jealous, but because it was disgusting. He slept on the couch that night. The next day the bed was taken to the nearest thrift store. He'd threatened Tanya with a restraining order, but he never had to do it because she backed off. It had been a rough couple of weeks leading up to that night.

The city thought they were an adorable couple, and when they were finished and she moved to New York to continue her modelling career, he chose to be nice to the situation and tell the press that Tanya was interested in her modelling career—that a long distance relationship would not work, but that they remained friends. In reality, they hadn't spoken since she moved. He occasionally saw her in magazines—in particular the SI swimsuit edition, but they had no real connection.

He thought that would be the end of it but apparently Tanya either still wanted him, or she wanted him to pay. He almost wished he had made the whole situation clear to the press, the Tanya wouldn't be able to pull anything off now.

He thought back to dinner, and the conversations in which he had barely contributed.

"It will either end in a mess, or we all are going to have to act nice for the public," Esme said.

"If they own the team, we cannot have a big power struggle between us and them," Carlisle replied. "He already owns the biggest newspaper in the city, and if we don't play nice then some not-so-nice things will be plastered all over the news."

"Yeah, but the chick is psycho—she had her and Edward engaged after four months of dating, then practically stalked him for three weeks. Now she wants either to get back with him, or to make the one thing that actually matters to him a living hell. She hated hockey," Rosalie chimed in. "We were the ones who had to sit with her in the box at games. She spent the entire time on the phone or at the bar. I don't think she saw the equivalent of an entire period over the course of those four months."

"But the press loved her," Alice added. "I'm not saying that we should just play her games— especially if she wants to mess with Edward's life again—but she is like the city's little princess."

"Was it that bad? I mean, her father is still in the city. Doesn't he live like a five minute walk from your house, coach? He seems friendly whenever you have neighbourhood dinner parties." It was Jasper.

"You weren't here then," Emmett began. "She must not have told her dad, or she let him believe that the breakup was mutual over her moving to New York. He barely tolerates hockey. The newspaper owns a box, and I've only seen him there once over the years. The only thing he really seems to care about is Tanya. He'd walk on water for his daughter, and if one of us steps out of line when it comes to her, we'll be in deep shit in the paper."

Edward noticed Esme had been watching him. "What do you think Edward? You're being very quiet. I'd rather not have to do major damage control all the time over newspaper articles, but it's your life, and I won't let her ruin it like she almost did before. Our family is too important for that."

"We handled it last time, and we can do it again," Edward replied.

"Are you sure? I can try to talk to Mallory and see if there is another possible buyer," Carlisle offered. He had a little pull with the organization.

"Last time, we were a lot younger—this time there is more at stake. I can handle it."

"He's right," Esme replied. "Last time, Carlisle wasn't head coach, Alice and Rosalie didn't have their companies, and I didn't have my charity work. Denali pretty much owns this town with that paper—bad publicity could ruin what we've worked for these past few years."

Edward thought about Esme's statement; she was right. Last time, he and Emmett were young rookies and Alice and Rosalie were still in school. Jasper was in another city, and Carlisle was an offensive coach. Now they were rooted in this city; he and Emmett both had another five seasons on their contract, and Jasper had four. He really hoped that Tanya was just being stupid, and she'd gotten over the whole idea as soon as she saw that she couldn't hurt him.

"What's wrong? You're thinking awfully hard for someone who should be exhausted from all my great sex." Bella looked up from where her head rested on his shoulder.

"There something I should probably tell you. Not in a press way— it can't be printed in anything."

Bella pulled away a bit. "Edward I wouldn't print something you don't want printed."

"I know. It's just, this is something that could potentially mess with the family and the season." She nodded, letting him continue. "Mallory, the guy who owns the team is looking to bring another partner into the team, and it's probably going to be this guy, Denali..."

"He owns the paper," she said simply.

Edward eyed her.

"I'm a journalist, and he also owns several magazines. I've come across his stuff professionally a few times. I've never actually met him though, but continue."

"Well, his daughter and I used to date when I was first drafted to the team. We were nineteen at the time, and because we were nineteen, it never felt serious to me. Apparently to her, however, it was, and after four months she was pretty much telling people we were getting engaged. I broke it off, and she caused several stupid problems for me until she finally moved to New York to model."

"So this buying the team is all about you? That seems kind of egotistical to me. You're probably just worrying too much." She tried to play it lightly and make him less upset.

"Her and her father hate hockey—never have liked it. He thinks it barbaric, and she doesn't watch sports at all. I don't really know what the reasoning behind the sale is, but it doesn't feel right."

"So how does it affect me?"

"Well, you'll have to actually meet her and that's an ordeal in itself. None of us know what is going to happen—it just feels like she'd messing with me again. That is why I was dragged forcefully to dinner, and why it couldn't wait."

"Can't you just tell her to fuck off if she is trying to mess with you?"

"I would if it was just me, but if I piss her off, she'll come at the entire family with everything she's got. On top of it, she is like Denver's sweetheart. I don't want to make a big deal about this until we really know what is going on, but I figured you will probably get involved somehow. You needed to know. Also, you might need to know that I have no intention of starting another relationship with her."

"Well good, because I don't sleep with guys who have girlfriends," she replied. "You should sleep though—you have that optional skate tomorrow."

"Right." He kissed her head—which felt extremely intimate—but they both ignored it and got comfortable to go to sleep.

Things progressed naturally for the rest of the preseason. The sale was kept quiet, but the organization knew it was going to happen. It looked even more likely that it was going to be Denali who bought into it. He still had not seen Tanya, but he had heard that she was back in the city, so he was even more suspicious.

Between that and the stress of a new season, Edward often felt like he had the world on his shoulders. The best moments were when he and Bella got time alone. The sex was amazing, and although they both were trying to keep it casual, they also both knew that there was more to it than just amazing sex. Every time he left her apartment, he felt more like he was leaving part of himself behind. He knew she felt it too, but she tried to hide it.

It was the morning before the season opener against the Dallas Stars—Jasper's old team. Practice had just finished, and he was skating around on the ice by himself.

Carlisle appeared on Edward's right. "So it's being announced tomorrow morning in the paper."

"It's official?"

"Yep. Denali and his daughter are going to be at the game tonight. I ran into her yesterday by the house. She was nice enough, and she asked about you. She's singing the anthem tonight."

"This is going to be a mess." He shot a puck as hard as he could and hit the post the ringing echoed in the empty arena. "She's fucking with my head Carlisle."

"Don't let her get to you. If you get frustrated by her, she'll get what she wants."

"I know."

After he gathered all the pucks up, he headed to the dressing room and showered. When he finished and was ready to leave the arena, he came across Bella. Instantly, he felt a little better. She looked relaxed and happy.

"Hey you," she said happily until she saw his face. He knew he looked tired; he hadn't really been sleeping well at all. Every night, she'd fall asleep, and he'd be up for hours afterward. "Are you alright?"

"Not really, but I feel a bit better now," he said quietly. "What are you up to?"

"I was at a dress fitting for Rosalie. Have you seen her dress? It's amazing! Alice had it ordered in as a secret and casually told Rosalie she might like it. As soon as it was on her, she knew it was the one. Alice is like a miracle worker! Rosalie was apparently having such a hard time finding a dress." She stopped her rambling and looked away from him.

He hadn't minded her rambling at all because he secretly loved how well she fit with his family.

"Sorry, you're obviously upset. Let's go somewhere."

"I have an idea." He nodded his head for her to follow him to another area of the arena.

Bella had never been down here before; it was an area that only the players and coaches should be.

"Edward, I don't think I should be here," she said as they passed an amazing workout room and several equipment rooms.

"You don't think all the players bring dates down here?"

"We aren't dating, remember?"

"Fine, but we're staying." He pulled her hard into to the locker room. She crashed against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. "I've wanted to get you down here for so long."

"It smells so bad in here," she replied. The room looked spotless but nothing could cover the odour of sweaty equipment. Edward laughed and pushed her backwards to sit down on the seat in front of his equipment. He was on his knees in front of her; they were about eye level.

"Yeah, you can't get rid of it," he replied, looking around the room.

She just laughed.

"God you look so hot in here. I knew this fantasy would be just as perfect in real life."

"This is your fantasy? Me in the locker room?"

"Locker room, showers, in the stands—pretty much every inch of this arena. This one was the most realistic—and possible of them all. No one will be here for a few hours."

She smiled and then pulled him into a kiss.

"So in this fantasy, what do I do?" she asked as she broke the kiss, then brought her tongue out and flicked his lips.

"Guess." He smirked.

She stood up and walked behind him. "Sit down superstar." She nodded to the seat she just vacated.

He sat, and she knelt in front of him. She reached for the button on his jeans, undid it, and then unzipped the zipper. He lifted himself up a bit so she could pull them and his boxers down—enough to get better access to his already painfully hard erection, but she didn't pull them all the way down because they were in public. She tucked her hair to one side, leaned forward, and lightly licked the tip. "Am I guessing right?" she asked, looking up to his face.

Edward groaned instantly and threw his head backwards.

Bella smiled and continued. She put her mouth farther over him and took as much of him as she could. She used her hand to pump the rest of him while reaching to cup his balls with her other hand.

Edward felt like a horny teenager every time she went down on him. He was completely at her mercy and needed to try extremely hard not to finish prematurely.

Bella never had been a huge fan of giving blow jobs, but with Edward she didn't really mind. She loved how undone he became even after a few minutes. She knew he was close when his hand reached her hair and lightly pulled her back. She let him go with a pop of her lips, and he pulled her to a standing position. He reached under her skirt—which she was extremely glad she chose to wear today, and pulled down her underwear. She stepped out of them using his shoulders for balance, and he set them on the seat beside him. She did not dare to look at whose seat her wet underwear sat on.

"Turn around," he said as he lightly turned her hips.

She faced the rest of the room and he pulled her backwards.

"Sit," he said as he flipped the skirt up, revealing her entire ass. She did—she straddled his legs and sat slowly taking him all in. She moaned as she did, and then she twisted her head around to pull him into a kiss.

Edward reached forward and began massaging her breasts—pinching her nipples over her shirt and thin bra. Bella was slowly moving up and down on him, and she could tell how worked up he was getting by how he clumsily kept slipping his fingers on her breasts. She loved that she could mess with his control so much. Most of the time he was perfectly skilled, but between her blowjob and this, she knew he was almost undone.

She reached behind her and under her shirt to undo her bra. Afterward, she took his hand and put it up under the material so that his fingers were right on her and not the bra. She took his other hand and brought it to her clit. He could take a hint, so he began to pinch and tease her there like he was now expertly teasing her nipples.

She was getting closer now and began to bounce faster on him. She leaned forward and pushed off his legs so she could do it harder.

Edward groaned. "Bella you're killing me," he choked out and motivated her to move even faster. "Fuck!" He was so close and she could feel him teasing her clit even harder to make sure she got release too. He was not selfish like that—which she adored.

He leaned forward, and she could feel the material of his shirt against her back. "I'm so close. Let go Bella!" he whispered into her ear. He pinched both her nipple and nub simultaneously. It sent her over the edge. She suppressed a scream because it was not as private here as at her apartment. She was so caught up in her own climax that she almost missed his, but she continued to bounce on him until she knew he got the release he needed.

Afterward, she leaned back and rested her back against his chest as he slipped out of her. She didn't, however, move to get off of him.

"So I guessed right?" she asked after a momentary silence.

"Much better than the fantasy," he replied as he moved his hands to settle on her hips.

"Is it time to move now?"

"Yeah," he replied.

She clumsily stood up—his hands steadying her.

He got up soon after her and pulled up his underwear and pants.

She reached behind her, hooked the bra back up, and then grabbed her underwear. When she was putting them back on, she noticed Edward looked upset. "What?" she asked worried.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I never forget to put a condom on—never. I'm clean, I can promise you that, but...Fuck, I'm sorry." He stumbled a bit over his words.

"Oh, I'm on the pill. I thought you knew that," she replied waving it off. "No big deal. It makes the cleanup a bit more annoying, but I think I can handle that." She knew he saw the trail of evidence running down her upper thigh. He quickly grabbed a towel for her off a pile near them. She wiped herself then looked to him for what to do with it.

"Just throw it in the bin." He motioned towards what looked like a laundry cart. "Won't be the first time, I'm sure," he added, when he saw the look on her face. "Besides I bet next to the sweaty towels in that thing, that one will look clean. No one will notice."

She still didn't put it in the bin.

"Really? Ew!" She wanted to protest more, but he grabbed it from her and tossed it in.

"Come on—we should head out. I'm supposed to relax before games, and Jasper wouldn't forgive me if I played like shit for his old team." He held out his hand, and she took it. They walked a ways down the hall before Bella pulled her hand away; she worried someone would see them.

Bella was glad she did when they turned the corner and almost ran right into Carlisle and Esme.

"Edward! Bella!" Esme said happily. "What are you two doing down here?"

"I play here," Edward said simply. He got an annoyed look from Carlisle, and Esme raised her eyebrows at his sarcasm. "I ran into Bella after practice and thought I'd show her around the secret parts of the arena. She says our locker room smells."

It was Bella's turn to give him an annoyed look.

"That it does," Carlisle replied. "Unfortunately, it's permanent," he joked, making Bella smile.

Edward seemed extremely good at telling half-truths to people. She decided it must be from all the years of smiling for the press.

"Well, we won't hold you guys up, you should go rest for the afternoon," Carlisle added to Edward.

"Sure thing, Coach—that's the plan." Edward smiled, gave his aunt a kiss on the cheek, and then the two of them carried on out to the parking lot.

"I always feel like every time we are alone and one of your family members sees us that they can see right through the lie. It's like they know everything. Like I've got 'I'm fucking Edward Cullen' tattooed across my face."

"I wouldn't suggest your face—maybe on that cute little ass of yours," Edward replied. She smacked his chest as they stopped at her car. "Thanks for cheering me up, Bella. Every time I feel like shit, you can make everything a little bit better."

"The sale?"

"Yeah. You'll probably meet Tanya tonight—she's singing the anthem."

"She sings?" Bella asked sceptically

"Fuck if I know...apparently. She never sang for me before, but I doubt they'd let her make a fool of herself in front of twenty thousand people."

"Well, glad I could cheer you up a little. Go relax and prepare for your game." She winked at him and got inside the car. He knocked on the window for her to roll it down. He took a quick look around and kissed her quickly.

"After the game?" he asked as he continued to give her light kisses.

"Yeah. Should I wait here afterward?" She pulled a bit back from him and took a look around.

"There's no one around—it's a private parking lot." She focussed back on him. "You better go to your apartment, Bella, there will be a bunch of reporters afterward. Just wait for me there."

"Ok, I'll wait for you in the jersey Alice bought me."

"Is it my jersey?"

"Yeah," she replied. "So I'll wait in that...and nothing else." With that, she pushed the button and the window went up. He shook his head at her and called her a tease. She laughed and drove off.

When Bella arrived at the apartment complex, she was stopped at the front.

"Miss Swan there is a package for you?"

"Where from? Phoenix? Washington? Miami?" She asked as the man behind the desk grabbed it for her.

"Local."

"Oh, alright, thank you." There was no return address on the package, but the postage stamp was local. She got upstairs and opened the package. She saw that it was clothing of some sort. There was a note on top.

Bella

I couldn't get the bra in the same purple colour as before, so I got it for you in yellow (The matching underwear were for my benefit). Everything else should be the same. I tried to get yours cleaned, but several week old coffee grounds stain a little.

- Edward

Bella looked at the clothing, and sure enough, it was the same items that Alice had thrown out. The addition of the panties that went with the bra made her smile. She almost bought them when she bought the bra, but $17 for underwear seemed ridiculous to her.

She considered putting them on before the game and surprising him afterward, but she decided she'd wait until after the game to put them on. She grabbed her cell and texted him.

Thanks for the clothes... you didn't have to -B

Of course I did...besides the matching set was too hard to resist... glad you like them -E

I'll show you how much I like them later -B

:) sounds good to me -E

Edward was dressed, stretched, and ready to put on his equipment—ready for the game to begin. He sat waiting in the back when she first arrived.

"Well, look who it is—Edward Cullen."

He recognized the voice before he turned around. Tanya looked as good as ever; she'd always been hot and modelling just enhanced that. Same girl he'd once liked, just more spray-on tanner.

"Surprised? I work here, remember?"

"Oh, don't be mean. I know this whole sale thing is a big deal to you, but Edward, we were kids back then. I made a mistake." Her voice was too calm—too rehearsed. He didn't believe a word. She stepped close to him and put her hand on his arm. "We're both adults here. I think we can handle it."

"Of course," he replied simply. He was extremely grateful when Emmett appeared seconds later to call him to the locker room. Edward hoped he was at least partially able to hide his relief from Tanya.

"Goodbye, Edward." She turned and walked away.

Emmett stared at him. "How was that?" he asked.

"This is going to be difficult."

Bella sat in the box with Alice; Rosalie and Esme were on their way. The national anthem played, and Bella got her first glimpse of Tanya. She was beautiful, that was for sure, but her singing talents rivalled those of Paris Hilton.

"She's probably going to come up here later," Alice told Bella. "You'll hate her."

Rosalie and Alice had filled in Bella again on the Tanya story; the two thought as highly of her as Edward did.

Tanya was forgotten for a bit when the game began. Bella watched Edward carefully and something seemed off. He didn't shine like he had in the post season; she didn't want to embarrass him by saying anything to his family though.

Frankly, she didn't have to; Alice brought it up first. "Edward's playing like shit," she said simply to Esme after her and Rosalie arrived. "I don't think he'd been sleeping well. He's got a big weight on his shoulder."

"He's worked up about it—that's for sure," Esme replied without taking her eyes off the game. They watched as once again, Edward turned over the puck. Bella couldn't help but wonder if she was also to blame; she knew the Tanya thing had been bothering him, but she was the one keeping him up at night.

By the end of the first, the score was 2-0 Dallas. Tanya paid a visit to the box and barely said two words to Bella the entire time. Alice introduced them, and all Tanya said was "oh." She then smiled and ended the exchange. The woman also said a quick goodbye to her as she left, but in Tanya Denali's eyes, Bella was much below her, and she made that clear.

"Can we kill her?" Alice asked half-joking, as soon as Tanya left.

"I wish," Rosalie replied.

They settled in to watch the second period. It turned out to be no better than the first. Edward took two stupid penalties, a roughing penalty and a slashing penalty, and the Stars capitalized on the second power play.

In the third, things seemed to be a little better, he got a few good shots, but fanned on several as well. He didn't play as much in the third, either. Carlisle switched the lines, and Edward was moved to what was the second line. The rest of the team played okay and brought the score to 3-2 Dallas.

Edward was on the ice with 1:30 left on the clock when he got hit lightly by a Dallas defenseman who was at least four inches taller and about 40 pounds bigger. Edward snapped and dropped his gloves; the two began a fight. Alice was on her feet instantly. Rosalie was silent with her mouth wide open, and Esme dropped her head into her hands. Bella looked to Alice for an explanation. "Edward doesn't fight," Alice said simply. "He can—but he doesn't, and he definitely shouldn't be fighting in the season opener."

They watched as the fight progressed. Other players got involved including Emmett. He went right for the Star's player who was getting some good shots on his cousin. Edward was way too small to be fighting this guy; he was Emmett's size. Bella bit her lip, worried. Finally, Emmett, with the help of the Ref, got the bigger guy away from Edward.

Edward was sent to the locker room to serve his penalty because the game was almost over. The Stars were able to score once on the empty net after Jasper left the ice for an extra forward. The Avalanche lost their season opener 4-2.

The crowd dispersed from the arena silently and slowly. Everyone was upset; the team hadn't lost a single preseason game, and this was not the season opener they'd all expected.

When Bella arrived back at the apartment, she sat down on the couch, looked at the new underwear, and considered putting them on. In the end though, she didn't feel like it would make a difference.

Edward knocked at the door about 45 minutes later. Bella hurried and let him in. He looked terrible. He was going to get a black eye from the fight—it was already red and puffy, and his lip was split. That wasn't the worst part, though. Sure, he was beat up, but his entire body just looked completely defeated. She realized then how much the Tanya thing was getting to him, and how much he was hiding inside. After the miserable game that night, he couldn't seem to hide it anymore.

He pulled Bella into a hug, and she somehow managed to kick the door closed behind them.

"It'll be okay," she said simply, and led him to the couch. He didn't reply; he just held her close to him, as if she was supporting him. She realized another thing that moment; casual was going to be more difficult than she thought.

yeah, Tanya sucks...but we always need someone to throw a curve ball.

Poor Edward..terrible season opener, but don't worry...our superstar will come back and do well.


	10. Chapter 9 - The Art of Blackmail

Hey everyone. Here is chapter 9. We are almost at the part where I HAD a Beta in the original posting, so the chapters should come quicker after this one.

Thanks again for reading, and please tell me what you think!

Chapter 9 –

Bella woke the following morning still on the couch with Edward. He continued sleeping and she didn't want to wake him. She thought back to the night before; they barely said anything to each other and then fell asleep on the couch. This side of Edward scared her; she was terrified of caring too much for him, but she couldn't just let him be this miserable on his own.

She stayed in his arms for another fifteen minutes or so, but she could hear his phone vibrating across the room somewhere near the door of the apartment. This was probably the fourth of fifth time it had; his family was worried too.

"Edward."

He stirred a little.

"Edward. You need to wake up."

He opened his eyes and looked around a bit, wondering where he was before settling on Bella. He smiled.

"We slept here?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry, I just…"

She cut him off. "It's alright—we're all allowed our moments."

"I shouldn't have put all this on you. It's not fair. I just left the arena, and all I wanted was to get here and see you," he replied. "It just feels that much better when I've got you right there with me. I don't know—I just…" Bella stayed silent, and he worried he said too much. "I know it goes against our rules, but it just feels right."

"I know, but we still have a lot to deal with before anything else," she finally replied. His phone started again. "And first, you need to answer your phone. That's at least the fifth time it's gone off."

Edward groaned, but the two got up, and he walked over to his phone.

"Shit," he said as soon as he picked it up.

"What?" Bella asked quickly looked at him from still on the couch.

"Fourteen missed called and eleven text messages," he replied.

Bella laughed and lay back down on the couch. She listened to him explain to his family over and over again that he was okay, and he just hadn't wanted to talk to anyone. He repeatedly had that same conversation three times and then dropped the phone onto Bella's counter before going back to the couch.

"Still tired?" he asked as he sat down next to her and put his hand on her hip.

"Well, my pillow was pretty uncomfortable all night," she replied jokingly. He shook his head at her then leaned down and gave her a sweet kiss but refused to put any weight on her.

"Thanks again, Bella. I don't want to freak you out or anything, but I just felt like I needed to be here last night. I did a few interviews but left as soon as I could. I don't even remember the drive over here."

"Before you got here I was really scared about what I was going to say. You just didn't look right out there last night, and then when you got here…I just…all I wanted was to make you feel better no matter what I had to do. It was terrifying," she replied honestly.

Edward smiled down to her and kissed her again.

"I don't really know what this means for us just because there are a lot of factors that we need to consider before we jump into anything, especially now with Tanya, I still don't know what she wants, what she's up to. She came up to me before the game and managed to completely throw me off."

"It'll be okay. We can keep a secret—we already have been. We can deal with Tanya as we go. We just have to be careful because of who her dad is. There's a lot he can do to mess with my career."

"I know, and we won't let it happen—I promise." He gave her one more kiss, and she just nodded. Neither of them felt completely sure of anything, but they also felt that it didn't really matter. "Want to sleep a little longer? We can go to your bed, I bet it's lonely."

"We could…" Bella smiled. They were cut off by Bella's apartment phone ringing. "That's probably my mom—she calls at the most random times. If you want to take a shower, I'll talk to her."

"Okay." He headed to the bathroom and she answered the phone. It was Renee and Bella had a quick conversation with her, and then she joined Edward in the shower.

When they finished, they headed to the kitchen. Edward started making toast, and Bella grabbed the morning paper.

"How bad is it?" Edward asked when he saw the look on her face as she brought it in. She handed it to him.

"Superstar Falters in Disastrous Home Opener" read the headline. He quickly read the story and the one about the Denali sale. It was nothing that he didn't expect. He handed the paper to back Bella; she was watching him carefully. "It's been worse—don't worry."

"I don't know how you deal with it. I'd never be able to handle it if all my faults were posted for the world to see," Bella replied as she drank her coffee and ate toast and jam.

After breakfast, Edward needed to go and meet with his uncle, and Bella gave Alice a call. They were supposed to be doing something for one of Alice's weddings.

They spent the remainder of the morning—and half the afternoon—shopping for table linens, and Alice mentioned quite a few times how worried she was for Edward after the game. Bella stayed quiet; she tried not to give away anything—even though she wanted to try to give Alice some comfort.

They shopped for a while longer before going for dinner. As soon as they were seated, Rosalie arrived and joined them.

"Hey, what are you up to?" Alice asked her.

"I was out shopping, and you'll never believe who I ran into," she said in a too-happy voice. Alice's face fell, and Bella looked across the room. There stood the blonde that had been causing all the trouble over the last weeks. Bella considered walking out of the restaurant right then. She hated this woman for what she was capable of doing to Edward.

"Alice," Tanya said sweetly, then looked at Bella. "And... Brianna was it? What are you up to this afternoon?"

"Her name's Bella," Alice replied without answering Tanya's question.

"Oh, right," Tanya replied. "So I'm sure you've heard the news."

"About the team?" Alice asked.

"Yeah. Daddy's very excited." She smiled and sat down next to Alice.

Bella looked to Rosalie as she sat next to her. Rosalie mouthed the word 'help' to Bella while Tanya talked with Alice.

"I thought your dad wasn't a huge hockey fan?" Alice pushed.

"Oh, well it's not his favourite, but he loves this city and since our families are such good friends, it is such a great opportunity."

Alice just nodded.

They ordered their drinks and food. As they waited, the three sat and listened to more of Tanya's banter. By the end of the dinner, Bella was ready to pull her hair out. She talked about everything from her modeling career, to how exciting it was to be back in Denver, to something about having to leave her puppy in New York and how devastated she was.

"Well, it's getting late. Emmett and I had plans for this evening, so I should probably head out," Rosalie said as she gave the waiter her credit card—paying for the entire meal so they could get out of there faster.

"Yeah, and Bella and I were planning on visiting Edward this evening. We wanted to see how he's doing after last night."

"Oh, I'd love to join you—catch up with Edward. It's been so long," Tanya said with a smile.

"Oh, well I don't know..." Alice started, but couldn't come up with an excuse quick enough.

"It's not like it's a private family thing— Brianna is coming after all."

"_Bella_ is coming. She attends a lot of family events with us."

"Well, is this really a family event?" Tanya pushed. Bella watched Alice's face, knowing she was going to have to give in.

"No, not really. You should come. It'll be nice to have you there. you can tell us all about New York."

Tanya smiled triumphantly, and Alice eyed Bella. The two silently wished they had some way out of this. Rosalie mouthed 'sorry' to both Alice and Bella as she signed the credit card receipt. Soon after, the group headed out.

Edward sat in his apartment flipping through channels. He watched sports highlights until it reached anything about him and his tanking performance the night before. There was a knock at the door; he hoped it was Bella.

He hurried to let in whomever it was. When he opened the door, he saw his dream and his nightmare standing next to his cousin. "Hey ladies—what's going on?"

"We just came to make sure you were alright after last night," Tanya said as she walked by him, not waiting for an invitation in.

He shot Alice a look, and she just shook her head saying that there was nothing she could have done. Bella looked annoyed.

"This apartment is gorgeous," Tanya said as she casually glanced around.

"Yeah, Rosalie did all the designs. She's a miracle worker." Edward got everyone drinks without even asking. He knew Bella and Alice would need it.

"I'll have to get her to do an apartment for me when I finally find one," she replied.

"You're moving back?" Edward nearly choked down his beer. "Aren't there more opportunities in New York?" Edward said quickly afterward. He could see Bella trying to hold back a laugh; Tanya was oblivious.

"Yeah, for a while. I'll probably jump back and forth between cities. It'll be nice to have my own place—not just Daddy's."

The conversation continued along those lines for almost two hours. Finally, Alice decided it was time to go, and Bella agreed.

"Yeah, it is getting late," Tanya said, yawning. "Oh, look how much I've drank—I really shouldn't drive, though."

"I can call you a cab?" Alice offered quickly, seeing where the blonde was going.

"Oh...yeah I guess, but it's hard to get a cab at this time of evening. Edward you wouldn't mind if I slept on your couch, would you?"

He took a deep breath; the woman did not know the meaning of the word subtle.

"Come on, we go way back, and Daddy hates cab drivers. He doesn't trust them—he'd be so upset if I took a cab."

He scowled at the mention of her dad. The woman might be devious, but she was not dumb. Tanya knew exactly how to get things the way she wanted. Any mention of her father was a warning. "You can sleep in the spare room," Edward finally answered. He walked Bella and Alice to the door.

"I'm sorry, Edward, I don't know what else to do," Alice whispered.

"It'll be alright. You two go home and have a good night," he replied quietly as he hugged them both together. He squeezed Bella's hand to try to reassure her that he'd be okay. "Later," he whispered to her. Edward could see she was worried for him. He winked at her, then smiled at both women and let them go. He wished he could call them both back and tell them not to leave him, but he had to deal with this.

He closed the door behind them and turned to see Tanya looking out the window. "That Belle girl—she seems extremely close to the family for a reporter."

"It's Bella—and yeah—we are pretty close to her. I think it will be hard on everyone when she goes back to Miami at the end of the season." He tried to sound calm.

"Yeah, Alice and her seem to be friends. She's a very plain girl though, but maybe she just looks that way in comparison with your family. Put the poor girl in a room with Rosalie, Alice, and Esme she looks so dull. Last night at the hockey game, I barely even noticed her."

"You better get used to her—she's going to be around all season," he replied as he clenched his fists next to his sides. He really needed to punch something. "Well, I'm tired. The bed's all made up already for you. There should be a spare tooth brush in the medicine cabinet if you need it." He nodded and went to his bedroom, and for the first time since he moved there, he locked the bedroom door. He heard Tanya go into the other room soon after and waited another half hour before he called Bella.

"Hey," she said when she answered, already knowing it was him. "How's it going?"

"I pretended I was tired as soon as you left and barricaded myself in my room," he replied.

"Are you planning an escape Edward?" she asked.

"I could. Are you giving me somewhere to escape?"

"Of course."

"Give me ten minutes. I should be able to get away—she's in the spare room. I can't stay the entire night though..."

"Yeah I know, but a few hours is better than nothing right?"

"What did I do before you got here?"

"I have absolutely no idea. See you soon." She hung up the phone.

He shook his head as he put his cordless back on the cradle. After checking his watch, he waited for about five minutes before leaving.

Tanya was nowhere around, and he got down to Bella's apartment without incident. She was waiting for him at the door, and once again, she made him feel like he could forget every other worry in the world.

Sneaking back in was not as easy. As soon as he got back into his apartment, he noticed the light was on in the living room, and there was a blond sitting on his couch.

"You know—if you are trying to hide that you're fucking the hired help, you should call her on your cell phone and not the house one that has other phones attached to it."

Edward's blood boiled. "She is not the help. You have no idea what you're talking about Tanya, and why the hell were you listening in on my phone call?"

"Whatever you want to call her—I don't care, but she's come in extremely handy." Tanya stood up and walked over to him; her hand ran across his chest. She didn't even answer his question.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" he asked as he backed away from her.

"It just means that I'm going to get what I want even easier than I thought."

Edward didn't bother asking her what she meant, he just stared at her waiting for her to continue.

"You and I are going to get back together."

Edward laughed. "Sure we are."

"No—we are. Just for the cameras, though. Don't worry, the reporter can keep my sloppy seconds. You just need to be seen dating me in public."

"Why?"

"That's my business—not yours. You can even keep sleeping with her as long as you're discrete. I don't care."

"Not a chance Tanya. There is nothing you can say that will make me agree to this shit."

"Of course there is. You know who my daddy is, and you know he has some pull in the publishing world. Your poor Bella would be out of a job in days, and then she'd basically be blacklisted. Not a single person would hire her. No one. There is nothing you could do about it."

"Tanya..."

"You know me, Edward. I always get what I want, and this time you are going to deal with it. You will pose as my boyfriend until I say I don't need you anymore."

She had a point. He was between a rock and a hard place. If he agreed, then he'd have to actually deal with her; lie for her, and give her what she wanted. If he said no, though, then Bella would suffer. "Fine. I'd rather suffer than make Bella." He made it clear that she knew how much he'd suffer. "But you are going to stay the fuck away from her. If I ever hear anything about you purposely treating her like shit, this whole thing is done."

"You are not really in a position to be making demands are you?"

"You obviously need something from me, Tanya, so I think I can make a few demands. Stay the fuck away from Bella, and I'm telling my family your plan."

"No! You won't tell anyone."

"They'll know something's up—they know the truth about what happened when we broke up. They also know that you are the last person I'd ever date again. You know Alice; she won't stop until she figures out the truth. I'm going to tell them and Bella the truth—no one else."

"Fine, but if this gets out..."

He cut her off. "It won't. My family protects their own. If we're done here, I think I'll go spend the night elsewhere."

"Fine. So for a couple of months we'll be quiet about it," she planned. "You know, I'll just casually attend your games, and we'll let ourselves be photographed together, but nothing that looks like it is more than friends. After a few months, we'll make it more couple-like—maybe around Christmas." She could tell he didn't care, but she kept speaking. "That way there will be lots of speculation about everything and nothing concrete. Then when we finally do tell people we are a couple, it will get even more press coverage."

"Your dad owns a newspaper. We'll get the press coverage you need."

"It can't just come from Daddy's paper. It needs to come from other sources too. This will work, Edward."

"Fine, but when you say near Christmas, this charade will not put a cloud over Rosalie and Emmett's wedding. You will not attend as my date."

"Fine, I think my father was invited though, so I'll be there anyway."

"I don't care. The press won't be there that day, so you can stay the fuck away from me."

"Fine," Tanya replied.

"Fine." He walked to the door and closed it behind him.

"Edward, this is not a good idea. Don't play her games just because of me. I can handle myself." Bella was in bed next to Edward a few minutes later. She could see the strain on his face and didn't think it was fair that he should feel like this to protect her.

"Bella, I'm not going to do that. I'll play along for the cameras, and eventually, she'll get bored. Something else will catch her attention, and she'll end the charade. If I don't do it, she'll have the entire family trashed to bits. I won't let my past mistakes ruin your, Alice, or Rosalie. My family's place in Denver is too important to me. Tanya can do that no problem, and I'll fix this. I'll stop her," he replied and kissed her on the head, trying to make her feel better. "I just wish I knew why she was doing it. She'll have to get something from it, but I don't know what. She knows I'd rather run her over with my Volvo than fuck her, so I don't know what she's getting out of this."

"Maybe she just wants to make your life miserable," Bella offered. Already, a plan was forming in her head. She needed to know what Tanya was thinking, and then she could find some way to turn it back on her—fix this big mess.

"Maybe, but she could do that just by telling the story to her dad. This has something else to it. She is doing this for some other reason, and I just cannot tell what that reason is."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Bella said with a sigh. "We need to sleep though. You have a game tomorrow, and you need to rest." She curled up closer, and the two fell asleep.

Bella woke early the next morning—before Edward—then went right to her phone. She called Angela.

"Good Morning, Angela speaking," her boss said in a happy voice.

"Hey, it's Bella."

"Hey! How's everything going in the world of pro hockey? I watched that game with Ben—bad break for the Cullen's, especially the younger one, Edward. He wasn't looking very superstar-ish that night."

"Yeah, it was brutal. They should hopefully have a better showing tonight. Anyway, the reason I'm calling is I have a favour to ask."

"Sure, what's up?"

Bella was grateful for Angela; any boss who agreed to anything before hearing it out was amazing.

"I was wondering if someone could look up stuff on Tanya Denali."

"You mean like Tanya Denali heiress to the..." Angela started.

"Yeah that one. There's some past between her and the Cullen's, and now she's back in Denver from New York. Her father just bought into the team. It just seems too convenient, and I want to know more. I don't even know if there is anything I can write about it, but the whole situation seems suspicious."

"Sure, I'll get Jessica on it," Angela replied sounding interested in the story.

"Jessica? She still has a job there?" Bella practically choked.

"Yeah, she's writing self-help now. I needed to find someone suitable to fill that position, so until I find someone suitable, Jessica is writing it."

Bella laughed.

"You really think she is in the position to be giving people helpful advice?" Bella thought back to when she wrote it; she never felt like she was acceptable for that job, but Jessica, that was a train wreck waiting to happen.

"Of course not! That's why I personally edit everything she writes. I'll get her to look up what she can on Miss Denali and get back to you on it. I won't tell her the reason for it."

"Thank you. I'll talk to you soon, Angela." She hung up the phone. When she turned around she found Edward leaning against the island in her kitchen. She didn't know how much he'd heard. She wasn't sure she wanted him to know she was doing this. "Good morning," she said cautiously.

"Called your boss?"

"Yeah."

"She replace that Jessica girl yet?"

Bella silently was relieved—he hadn't heard anything.

"She still has a job—my old one."

"Bet that feels nice," Edward said with a chuckle.

"Yeah. Except don't let anyone you know take the self help advice from the magazine for a least a few issues. That girl should not be in a position to tell anyone how to live their lives," Bella replied. "So, breakfast before you go to your morning skate?"

"I'd like to, but I think I'm going to go early and tell Carlisle what happened last night. I think the family needs to know as soon as possible." He kissed her quickly, before heading out the door. Bella hoped that Angela would come through. It would be nice if she'd be able to do something in return for what Edward was sacrificing for her.

Please don't hate me! Our characters need some drama...they really do. Trust me okay?


	11. Chapter 10 - Late Night Activities

Sorry everyone! I've been very neglecting of this story for the last week. I hope this makes up for it. This chapter has a lot of sweet Bella and Edward moments.

Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 10 –

"It isn't worth it," Alice said simply. "We can handle this. As a family, we can get passed this. We can't let her use you Edward. I won't stand for it." Edward sat with the entire family in Carlisle's office.

"I agree. There is no way we can let this happen, Edward," Carlisle began.

"It's not up for discussion anymore. I've already agreed to it." Edward cut his uncle off.

"Edward, this doesn't make sense at all," Alice began. "You might not want to hurt us, but we're tough. This will blow over—let her print what she wants. We'll deal with it. Unless there is more you aren't telling us?"

"No, there is nothing else. Just trust me, we'll let things play out like this for a while and go from there. Just give me time to figure this out. If I need to rethink stuff later, I will. For now, this is best."

Everyone looked sceptical.

"At least until after Christmas—if it hasn't sorted itself out by then. I don't want anything to mess with the wedding. My mistakes from previous years are not going to ruin that day for you two."

Rosalie was not about to let Edward use her wedding as an excuse. "We can handle them, Edward!"

He cut Rosalie off as well. "If we need to do something about it, we will wait the two and half months until after your wedding. That's all that is going to be said on this, okay?"

Everyone just nodded; they knew Edward's had made up his mind. They didn't agree, but they were willing to support his decision.

The group dispersed because the guys had to get to practice, but before he headed to the locker room Rosalie stopped Edward, she looked almost worried—or shy—which was not the Rosalie he'd know since childhood.

"Thank you." She said quietly to him. "I know it's selfish of me, but thanks for thinking about the wedding. As much as I don't want you to do this, it means..."

"I know how much it means to you Rose. Your wedding should be perfect. I made it clear to Tanya that she and I would not be a spectacle at your wedding—that it was about you and Emmett. She knows that if anything involving her ruins the day for the two of you, then whatever this is, is done."

Rosalie nodded and gave him a hug. "You are too nice, Edward, you deserve better than this."

"Well, I got great looks and mad skills on the ice—I needed some kind of obstacle in life." He purposely ruined the moment, and she punched him in the stomach.

"Get your cocky ass to practice." She pushed him lightly down the hall.

That evening, the Avalanche won their first game of the season. Bella was in awe of the intensity in the arena during the close game that went to overtime. The crowd was extremely pleased to see the home team win, but Bella still couldn't help but notice that Edward wasn't himself. He was moved to the second line after the first period, and things didn't get much better.

In fact, for the month of October, that was the story. The Avalanche were doing fairly well, but their star forward was not. After every game, there were articles in the paper about how Edward was not living up to his potential—or what his salary was. There was lots of speculation about him playing injured, but he and Carlisle continued to inform the press that if he were injured, he'd be resting to be in the best shape for later in the season. Most people just believed that he was in a rut and was eventually going to get out of it; everyone hoped for that.

In late October, Bella's second article was printed in the magazine. The first one, from late September, had been extremely popular with readers, and one of the most popular topics on the magazine's online discussion board. The second article, which focussed heavily on the wedding planning and the Sweden trip, immediately got a great response.

The month was also the beginning to whatever Tanya had planned. She attended several home games, and on one occasion, she and Edward were photographed leaving the arena together. They both got into different vehicles, but the picture was picked up in the local press.

October came to a close. It was Halloween, and the team as well as their families were involved in a charity event organized by Esme. Each member of the team and coaching staff partnered with a local disadvantaged child. They would spend the day together at a local department store where they would be shopping for Halloween costumes as well as getting proper winter clothing for the children. In the evening, they'd be going out trick-or-treating with the children. Esme had started the event two years previously, and it had been a huge success—so it was now an annual thing.

"It's a great event. We love doing what we can for these kids, and hopefully today is an extremely memorable experience for them, as well as an opportunity for them to get the clothing and winter gear that they'll need. It's a reminder to all of us that not everyone is as lucky as we are, and these kids are great. Everyone seems to have a blast." Edward finished a quick interview before he was matched up with a little girl who was six. Bella watched from the side with the little girl, Cara, who held her hand; she was helping Esme get everyone organized, and Edward was the last to get a match.

After the interview, he came over to the two of them. He knelt down so that he was eye level with the girl. "Hi, I'm Edward." He said sweetly and grinned at her.

"Cara," She replied quietly.

Bella could feel the girls grip tighten on her hand.

"Hi Cara," Edward replied. He tried several times to let her get comfortable with him, but she firmly held Bella's hand. Bella felt bad for him, but she understood that the little girl was probably terrified. The other pairs had dispersed to go and begin their shopping. "So Cara, how about Bella comes with us to get your costume? I'm not very good with picking out girls' costumes—I bet Bella is better at it."

"Can you?" Cara looked up to Bella.

"Of course, just let me tell Esme where I'm going." She broke from the girls hand and walked over to Esme who was speaking with Amy Mercer. "Esme, I'm going to go with Edward and Cara for a bit—she seems a little scared of him." The three ladies looked over and the girl had moved a few steps away from Edward.

"Aw, poor girl, of course you can Bella—we won't need you."

"Thanks," She replied, and then hurried over to Cara. Immediately, Cara put her hand in Bella's. The three walked over to the costume section. "Hey, Cara, I bet if you hold Edward's hand too we can swing you," Bella offered.

The girl looked up at Edward cautiously before reaching her hand up. The idea of swinging was apparently greater than the fear of him. The two swung her as they walked, and soon enough, Cara was laughing and holding both of their hands without worry.

Edward looked to Bella above Cara's head and mouthed 'Thank you' to her. Bella just smiled back. She turned her attention to Cara. "So, Cara, what kind of costume do you want? Something scary? Or something Pretty?"

The girl bit her lip. "Uh, pretty I think—maybe a princess. Is that okay?" She looked to Edward cautiously again.

"Of course it is! You can be whatever you want to be," he replied. "Let's see what they've got over here."

The three walked over. Bella stayed a bit to the back letting the two of them look for costumes. She couldn't help but notice how careful Cara was around men, which made her sad because it likely meant that some asshole had treated her badly. She also couldn't help but admire that Edward was great with her. He knew exactly when to be fun, when to reassure her, and when to back off a bit. Bella tried not to think about how great of a dad he'd be someday, but it was impossible. She just kept reminding herself that it would not be with her.

They had it narrowed down to two different costumes. One was a pink princess from a recent Barbie movie, and the other was a fairy costume. "Which one do you like Bella?" Cara asked her as she held one out and Edward held the other.

"Yeah, we cannot decide," Edward added.

"Well, the princess one is very nice. Pink is a pretty colour." Bella watched Cara's reaction.

"Yeah, but I really like purple. It's my favourite colour." Cara said looking at the purple fairy costume and Bella knew the decision had been made.

"Yeah, that's true, and wings are extremely cool," Bella replied. "I think you should be the fairy."

Cara smiled and nodded.

"Now, we need a costume for you Edward." Cara looked up to him.

"Yeah? What do you think I should be?" He asked as he knelt down to eye level with her.

"Uh, I don't know, maybe a clown?" Cara asked.

"Yeah, a clown? Let's see what they have for clown costumes," Edward replied, not betraying any emotion.

Bella couldn't help but smile.

It was officially decided that Edward would be a clown. They found a costume that had what looked like a hula hoop built into it to make him look like a fat clown, and they chose that one. It was bright yellow with red polka dots. They went over to the wigs and masks and grabbed white face paint for Edward, and Bella found a set of face paint that was all pinks and purples and had sparkles for Cara's costume.

Cara was looking at accessories. "See anything you want?" Edward asked as she looked up at the selection.

"Uh, the crowns are pretty—if I was the princess I'd get a crown." She looked back over to the wall of costumes, obviously wondering if she had made the right decision.

"Well what if we get one anyway?"

She looked up, questioning him.

"You can be a fairy princess," Edward quickly added.

Her face brightened, and a huge smile came across it. "You could also get a wand, because fairies need magic wands don't they?"

She nodded in agreement.

They picked out a wand with streamers and a princess tiara with jewels. They put everything into one of the kid's carts that was labelled for them, and they headed to the clothing department to get her winter clothing.

Cara picked out a pink and black winter coat that came with black snow pants. After that, she found a purple and pink striped hat and mitten set. Finally, for boots they picked a pair of pink and silver boots that flashed a light every step she took.

They headed back to the rest of the team, where they paid for all the merchandise. Esme's team organized everything per child before the group went to a local fast food restaurant complete with maze and ball pit for dinner.

The children all ate extremely fast and went into the ball pit.

"I can see why you all love doing this," Bella said as they waved to Cara who was climbing in the maze.

"Yeah, it's probably my favourite charity event that Esme organizes." He paused. "Actually, it's a toss-up—in February, we always visit the children's hospital. Most of the other events are fancy dinners that we don't even see where our efforts are going to. This one is special." Cara appeared at the bottom of the slide and ran over to them.

"Edward, come in the ball pit!" She grabbed his hand, and he winked at Bella, then followed.

She watched as an entire group of kids ganged up on him and threw the balls at him. Bella Just laughed.

Emmett appeared beside her. "So, I'm told that Edward is going to be a clown tonight?" He asked with a grin.

"Yes, Cara picked it out." Bella eyed him suspiciously.

"This is epic! I cannot wait." He grinned.

"Don't you dare make fun of him when that girl is around though Emmett," Esme cautioned as she walked over. "She picked it out—so don't you dare make her feel bad."

"I won't, I won't. I'll just take lots of pictures and mock him later."

"What are you dressing up as?" Bella asked. "Anything we can make fun of?"

"Uh, Superman! You can't make fun of Superman." He replied cockily.

"Enjoy the tights," Bella replied.

He jokingly ruffled up her hair.

Esme laughed. "Yeah, and go join your cousin in that ball pit." Emmett grinned and ran towards it.

Rosalie appeared and laughed. "You know, we'll never get them out of there, and I don't mean the kids."

Bella and Esme laughed.

After the dinner and play maze, everyone travelled to a nearby hotel in which they rented the conference room, and got ready for trick-or-treating. Bella put tons of colourful and sparkly eye makeup on Cara, and she let Cara use some lip gloss, which went over extremely well with the six year old. To top it off, Alice appeared and gave her a spray of sparkly hairspray. Cara's smile didn't leave her face the entire time.

Edward looked hilarious. Bella could just imagine the mockery he'd get, but he never showed any sign of being upset. When Emmett entered the room there was a loud snort as he covered his mouth and forced himself not to laugh. His face went beet red before he hurried out of the room and burst out laughing in the hallway. Cara heard none of it, so it was okay.

Jasper appeared a few minutes later and almost didn't realize he was looking at Edward. After he realized, he blinked several time and a grin spread across his face, but he managed to stay a bit more subtle than Emmett. He was dressed as the modern look of Batman.

The rest of the evening went extremely well; Bella stayed with Edward and Cara, but gave them some space as well. She loved how happy Edward was—so carefree—he had no worries that day. She wished that every day were the same.

Every morning, she could feel how miserable he was when it was time to leave her apartment. In there it was safe, and nothing or no one could touch either of them. There was no Tanya, no badly played hockey games, no threat of being exposed—just the two of them doing whatever they wanted.

Edward was saying goodbye to Cara at the end of the night; he'd already changed from the clown costume and scrubbed his face to get the white makeup off. He gave Cara a big hug then shook her mother's hand. Apparently, Bella found out, Cara's mother was a single mom since her father had skipped out on them. Edward also gave her mother his phone number and email in case they needed anything. It was extremely sweet.

It was only eight-thirty when everything was wrapped up. Edward and Bella were driving home together in his Volvo when he pulled into the wrong lane. "Want to go somewhere?"

"Uh...sure...where?" Bella replied, but he wouldn't tell her.

They pulled up at the parking lot of the Pepsi Center. She eyed him suspiciously. "Why are we here?"

"Trust me," He replied and held out his hand. She gave hers to him without question and nodded.

Before they went inside Edward grabbed a bag from the department store they had been at earlier from the back seat. "What's that?"

"I haven't answered any of your other questions—do you expect me to answer that one?"

"Fair enough."

They headed inside and down passed all the rows of seats down to the ice level. The lights were on, but they were dim. It was nothing like the extremely bright ones from during the games. They walked across the ice to the players' bench. She held onto him tightly knowing that ice was not going to help her clumsiness. "Please tell me you didn't bring me here to have sex on the players bench," Bella said, but immediately regretted it worried that she might have offended him, but she could tell she hadn't when she saw his grin.

"That's another fantasy, but no. This has absolutely nothing to do with sex." He helped her up into the little rectangular bench area and opened the bag. "I remember you saying a while back that you've never skated." He pulled out a pair of women's recreational skates.

"Edward, do you not remember that I have a hard time staying upright on flat foot? Trying to stay upright on blades is a train wreck waiting to happen."

"Do you not remember who I am? I will be an amazing teacher. You won't fall, and I promise I'll keep you upright when you do." He knelt in front of her and took of her shoes. She continued to verbally protest, but allowed him to put the skates on.

"How did you figure out my shoe size?"

"I checked your shoes at home. I've wanted to get you on the ice for a while now, but I never had the opportunity, and when I saw the skates at the store today, I decided to buy you a pair." He had finished tying the skates. "Ok, sit tight. I'm going to run and get my skates." He headed down the hall toward where the locker room was. Bella sat and looked around. It was extremely different to be down here in the center of the arena; it was an incredible feeling, but she couldn't imagine doing it when it was packed.

She looked down at the skates in front of her. They were a little uncomfortable, but that was probably normal. They were stiff and new, so she figured they were supposed to feel like that. She moved her feet a little to see if they would feel any better a different way; they didn't.

"Too tight?" Edward asked as he returned with his skates over his shoulder.

"I don't know, maybe," Bella replied. "Should they be a little uncomfortable?"

"A little bit, but I might have put them too tight. Hockey skates are supposed to be extremely tight, but yours won't need to be so bad." He got back down in front of her and loosened them a bit. "Better?"

"Yeah, that's much better," she replied. Edward quickly got his skates on. He stepped out onto the ice and faced the door to help Bella onto it.

As soon as one foot hit the ice, it slid to the side and Edward's arm wrapped around her instantly. He steadied her as she got used to the feeling of standing on skates, then stepped back a bit still keeping his hands on her hips. "I'll keep you up. You just need to trust me." He took his hands off her and let her balance herself for a few seconds. He took her hands and pulled her a bit forward. She seemed a bit more relaxed, but still very stiff.

He got behind her. "Ok, I'm going to skate behind you and push you. Just concentrate on staying upright, and feel what it's like to glide," he whispered into her ears.

She nodded. With his hands firmly on her sides, he began to skate and push her forward. She kept her skates parallel and let him push her. They went across the ice, then turned and went back toward the bench.

"Ok, this time I'm going to give you a push and let you glide by yourself. Grab onto the boards when you reach them." She turned to look up at him but swung herself too much and slipped.

He caught her under her arms before she landed with bottom on the ice. "Sorry, you alright?" he asked her as he pulled her upright.

"Yeah, but I doubt I'll make it to the boards." She replied.

"Try," he urged.

She eyed him.

"For me?"

She wrinkled her nose, but nodded. He put his hands on her back and lightly pushed her forward. She glided without incident and grabbed onto the boards. She smiled, then turned to Edward and found him right behind her.

"How was that?" he whispered in her ear.

"Not hard."

"Good, now you can try to push yourself—learn how to skate without me."

Bella looked sceptical, but he grabbed her hands and began to skate backwards.

"Just turn one foot out and push it against the ice to push yourself forward."

She tried it and pushed herself right into Edward. He caught her and laughed. "A little harder than I expected, but that was good. You just keep doing that and let yourself glide a bit. Then you alternate feet, and you're skating. Try it without me."

He skated a few glides backwards and held his arms out for her. She pushed off with one foot and glided a bit, then tried to switch feet and she stumbled. She managed to steady herself before Edward got up to her. "Good catch." He said then skated back again. "Try again?" She nodded.

This time she was able to switch feet easier she got close to Edward but slipped when she focussed more on him than the ice and began to fall. Edward reached to catch her but was too late. She grabbed for him, and instead of him steadying her, her feet shot towards him and knocked into his skates; he began to fall right away.

Bella landed on her bottom and continued to fall backwards. She hit her head hard against the ice. Edward came down on top of her, and their foreheads crashed against each other. "Fuck, sorry, Bella." Instantly, he was beside her; she didn't move.

"Ow...Oh my god that hurts." Bella got up on her elbows. "I told you I'm hopeless. Fuck, my head hurts so much."

"Yeah. The ice will do that. I'm so sorry Bella—I said I'd catch you. I should have caught you."

"No it's okay. I'm fine. Let's try again," Bella replied. Edward got up quickly and helped Bella up. She tried again. She held hands with Edward, but she set the pace. He skated backwards at her pace.

After about another fifteen minutes of attempts; Bella was getting tired, and she figured Edward was tired of continually catching her. She stopped near the front of the bench. "Are we done?" He asked knowingly.

"I hurt a lot."

"I'll massage you when we get back to your apartment." He backed her up to the boards.

"That sounds nice." Bella smiled.

He had his hands on the boards on either side of her. "You are a pretty good teacher Cullen."

"And you are a quick learner," he said as he moved closer and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he lifted her up to sit on the edge of the boards. She spread her legs and pulled him closer to rest between them.

"Bella," he whispered as he moved his lips to her neck. She moaned as he did. One of his hands moved to her back to pull her even closer, and the other one cupped her breast from the side. She moaned again. "Fuck." He pulled back. "We can't do this here Bella."

"Sure we can," she replied with a smile.

"No, it's freezing cold. And you're wearing pants."

She looked at him for a second at his last comment then burst out laughing. "I'm wearing pants? What is that supposed to mean?"

"It's too fucking cold in here for me to strip you of your pants. If you were wearing a skirt it would be a different story."

"Locker room?" she asked, remembering their previous experience in that room. She kissed him on the side of his lips.

"Locked," he replied bringing his lips back to her neck.

"Where were your skates then?"

"In an equipment room waiting to be sharpened," he replied continuing with her neck. He pulled back when she didn't reply.

She shook her head at him then pulled him back closer into a hug. She put her lips right next to his ear. "Then you better drive like a maniac back to my apartment."

"I'm a Cullen, Bella, I can do fast." He picked her up and skated her to the door to the bench and sat her down. He had her skates off quickly and expertly took his off. He ran and dropped them off back wherever he found them. She put the skates back into the box and then put the box into the bag. When Edward came back, he wrapped his arm around her waist and grabbed the bag and then hurried out together.

Edward kept true to his word and drove extremely fast back to the apartment. Bella had her hand on the armrest the entire time holding on for dear life. They parked and headed up the elevator immediately, and Edward kicked the door closed behind them the second Bella got the door open to her apartment.

He had his arms around her and kissed her neck again. He pushed her back until they reached the island in her kitchen. Bella felt like she was on fire everywhere he touched her, but she couldn't get enough of it. She reached her hands under his shirt to get more skin-to-skin contact. Edward went to lift her up onto the counter, but she protested. "I just cleaned it." She wrapped her legs around him using him for support instead of the counter.

"Where?"

"Jacuzzi?"

"Not going to make it there," he replied. He groaned as she wrapped her legs tighter rubbing their cores against each other.

"Couch," she offered.

He didn't even reply, just carried her over and the two dropped onto it. He ran his hand from her knees to the waistband of her jeans. He unbuttoned them and slid the tight jeans over her ass, but her underwear stayed up. He hooked the thing under his fingers and pulled it down after the jeans.

Bella pulled Edward's shirt over his head, then ran her fingers through his messy hair and pulled him down for a kiss. His hands reached under her shirt and undid her front clasp bra. Then he cupped one of her breasts, and she pushed her chest forward trying to get even more contact. He teased her nipples, and Bella let her head drop and let him tease her under the shirt.

Edward stood up and undid his jeans. The denim and his boxers were off instantly. Bella took that opportunity to discard her bra and t-shirt. Edward got down on his knees in front of the skinny couch. One hand went to tease her erect nipples, while the other skimmed across her skin–skipping over where she really wanted him to touch. He ran one finger up and down her legs. He positioned one leg to rest over the front of the couch while the other was bent and rested against the backrest of the couch.

Finally, he ran his finger down to her core, and she thrust her hips up so that he'd finally make contact. He happily obliged; he brought his thumb and finger to her clit and lightly teased it. She moaned and lifted her hips more. He touched her a bit harder and rolled the nub between the two digits. He smiled at the little noises Bella made as he did.

He moved his hand down farther, and Bella moaned in protest. Quickly, he inserted two of his fingers inside her. She was so tight, and he couldn't wait to get inside her. That could wait though; he wanted her begging him.

As he pumped his fingers in and out of her, Bella reached down and began to rub her clit herself. He watched happily—she always got embarrassed when she realized she was doing that, but he loved that she was so far gone that she did it without thinking.

She was extremely close; he could tell by how quickly she was pleasuring herself, so he quickened his movements to keep up.

Bella came quickly, and he felt it on his fingers. She opened her eyes and smiled up to him. "Your turn?"

"I'm not down with you yet." He climbed up onto the couch and Bella dropped her head back and prepared for him to enter her—but he didn't.

His hands were on her thighs, and he brought his tongue to her. She moaned, and he began to flick her nub with his tongue. She involuntarily lifted her hips, but he held her down. He nipped at her with his teeth once before licking down to enter her with his tongue. Bella was beginning to moan louder, and he knew she was ready to come again.

"Edward, Inside me," she pleaded as she ran her hand through his hair again. He looked up to her and smiled.

He kissed and licked his way up her body before finally settling at eye level. He kissed her lips once before entering her. She could taste herself in his mouth and she wrapped her arms around his neck, and then she let them run down his back before grabbing his ass.

He groaned as she squeezed his cheeks. "Did I ever tell you I adore you ass." Bella asked him.

He answered by thrusting harder into her, and she moaned, getting closer to another orgasm. She could tell he wouldn't be too long either. She lifted her legs up from the couch and wrapped them around his waist again, and he took advantage of the change of the angle.

Bella came quickly. She dug her fingers into his back—probably breaking the skin, but she couldn't tell. He followed her a few thrusts later and groaned into her neck as he did. "Bella," he whispered into her neck with a light kiss.

He moved himself to her side so that he didn't crush her. She turned and faced him, her hands in between them resting on his chest. "Bed?" she asked.

"In a little while," he replied and grabbed her couch throw and pulled it over the two of them.

A little while turned into the entire night. Bella woke with her head on Edward's shoulder. His arms wrapped around her. She squeezed herself out and grabbed his shirt to put on. She went to the bathroom, and when she came back, Edward was in his boxers.

It was a beautiful looking day outside, and Bella walked to the window. She felt Edward come up behind her. He spun her around, rested her back against the windows, and kissed her. He took each of her hands in one of his and laced fingers with her. He brought her hands up at the level of her head against the glass. "Good morning," he finally greeted her.

"It is now," she replied.

The phone rang. "Your mom?" Edward asked.

"Probably," she groaned in reply.

"She really enjoys interrupting at the most inconvenient times doesn't she?" he joked and gave her one more kiss. "I'll be in the bathroom." He went to the hallway and Bella went to the phone.

"Hello?"

"Good morning Bella." It was Alice.

"Hey Alice, what's up?" Bella asked surprised to get such an early call from Alice. She usually called later in the morning just in case Bella slept in. She aimlessly walked back over towards the couch.

"Not much," she replied simply.

"Uh, ok...so why the call at nine thirty in the morning?" Bella asked confused.

"Uh, just thought I call and talk."

Bella was extremely confused.

"By the way, that's a nice shirt you're wearing. One of Edward's favourites."

Bella's eyes widened as Edward returned to the living room. Bella nearly dropped the phone as she spun toward the window.

"Can I talk to my cousin please?"

Sorry for the cliffhanger! I will make sure to get the next one up fast.


	12. Chapter 11 - Confessions

Hello everyone.

I'm sorry it's been a couple days since I last posted, but things have been pretty crazy around here. If you've read Meet me and the Midway you probably know I'm from Calgary Alberta, and depending on where you are from, you may have seen the news about my city. We, and many nearby towns suffered severe flooding, and the city was in a state of emergency for days. Thankfully, my family and I were not directly affected by the flooding, but we have been doing everything we can to get the city back on its feet. Things are starting to dry up and get back to normal, so hopefully I can get a few chapters out for you quickly.

Thanks for understanding.

-Margo

So here is Chapter 11 - enjoy!

Chapter 11 –

Edward looked at Bella extremely confused. Bella held out the phone and took it from her.

"Edward!" Alice nearly screamed into the phone. "I cannot believe you! Bella deserves a lot better than that she..."

"Alice, we're busy. I'll call you later." He hung up the phone, tossed it on the couch, and pulled the curtains across.

"You hung up on her?" Bella stared at him as if he had three heads. "Edward, that's terrible. I'm calling her back." Bella went for the phone.

"Don't bother—it's Alice, she's already on her way here, guaranteed. I just figured this conversation is better done in person. I think that she thinks I'm taking advantage of you," he replied and took the phone from her. He set it back on the charger and then went and began making coffee. Bella went to her room and put on some clothes, giving Edward his shirt back so he could get dressed.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Bella opened the door and Alice rushed in, spotted Edward, and practically stomped up to him. "What the fuck Edward, you hung up on me!"

"I figured this conversation should be done in person," Edward replied calmly.

"Then you should have just said so."

"You would have kept talking."

"That's beside the point. What is this?" She looked to him and Bella. She was clearly angry, and Edward's suspicion was likely correct. "Bella deserves a lot better than a casual fling with you Edward! I thought you were passed that stage of your dating life..."

"Alice..." Edward tried to cut her off.

"I know you're friends and all, but sex ruins everything. How are you going to work together after this?"

"Alice..." This time Bella tried to cut her off.

"This could be a complete disaster! Especially if Tanya finds out—she'll have a fit. You are supposed to be dating her remember?"

"Alice!" Edward practically yelled. That got her attention. "Bella and I have been together since Sweden." He didn't know how to define their relationship since they tended to avoid the topic, so together seemed like a good word to use. "And as for Tanya, she already knows. That's why I agreed to this stupid plan of hers. She heard me on the phone with Bella the night she stayed over drunk, and when I got back to the apartment, she basically said that if I didn't go along she'd have her father ruin Bella in the publishing world. I never would have agreed to it otherwise. She wouldn't have even suggested it otherwise—she had this up on me, so she took advantage of that."

"Since Sweden?" Alice replied, almost as if she had ignored the second part of his statement. She smiled and turned to Bella, then pulled her into a hug. "This is amazing!" She let Bella go, then looked to them both. "Why didn't you tell me? Who else knows? Mom? Dad? Rosalie?"

"Nobody," Edward replied. "We wanted to keep this quiet because if it got out to the public, then it would look bad on Bella—a conflict of interests."

"Please don't make me keep this a secret," Alice replied looking between the two of them. "Jasper already knows. He saw too. He pretty much watched my jaw drop to the floor then looked to see why, but he told me to leave it alone."

"Alice..." Edward started, but was cut off.

"I think your family should know," Bella cut in.

Edward looked to her.

"I mean, as long as you are okay with them knowing, I don't mind if they do. It might actually help with this whole Tanya thing. You said they didn't really understand why you agreed to do it in the first place, and now they will. If you still want to keep it quiet that's fine, but I'm just saying I won't care if you tell them."

"Okay," he turned back to Alice. "You don't have to keep it secret."

Alice smiled. "Good!" She pulled out her phone. "I'd like some coffee Edward," she said as she went and sat on the couch.

"You're going to call them right now?" Bella asked, baffled.

"Just Rose! She'd kill me if I didn't share this with her right away," Alice replied.

Rosalie was awoken by the annoyingly perky ringtone Alice downloaded into her phone for whenever Alice's cell called her. Emmett groaned.

"Hello?" Rosalie asked groggily.

"Rose, you'll never guess what I just found out."

"Alice, it is not even ten in the morning. I'm in bed," Rosalie replied annoyed.

"This is worth it—I promise," Alice replied.

"It better be," Rose replied as she snuggled back under the covers.

"So I'm in the living room with Jasper this morning, and I looked out the window and just glancing around and happen to look a few floors down—you'll never guess what I saw."

"Alice, if you tell me you spotted the perfect center pieces for the reception, I'll kill you when I see you next," Rose complained; it would be something Alice would do.

"No, this is bigger than that, although I did see some good stuff yesterday. Uh, never mind. I looked down to where Bella's apartment is. That's when I saw Bella being pushed up against her window—half naked—by Edward!"

"What?" Rosalie sat straight up in bed. She startled Emmett, and he shot up as well, falling off the side of the bed. Rosalie looked at him for a few seconds but didn't say anything.

"Was that Emmett? Did he just fall out of bed?" Alice asked.

"Yes, but that's not important. What about Bella and Edward?"

"Yeah, I called them to freak at Edward for taking advantage of Bella, but apparently they've been secretly seeing each other since Sweden! Since you and Emmett put him in your hotel room for the night."

"Oh my God! That's insane! But what about Tanya? If she finds out the two of them are dead."

"She knows! That was part of the reason he agreed to her sham of a relationship. They were blackmailed!"

"What's going on?" Emmett asked next to Rosalie. She just waved him away.

"We need to do something with her. There is more to this than we know, and I think something needs to be done about it," Rose replied to Alice.

"I know—we have to. I refuse to let her ruin something else for Edward," Alice replied

"Done about what?" Emmett continued to try and figure out what was going on.

"Hold on Emmett," Rosalie replied.

He decided not to and grabbed the phone from his fiancé.

"Alice, tell me what the fuck is going on," he bellowed into the phone. Rosalie was trying to grab it back.

"Calm down overprotective big brother. Nothing bad happened," Alice replied.

Before she could explain, Edward grabbed the phone from Alice.

"Hey! Edward." She was reaching to try to get it back from him, but Edward wanted to tell Emmett.

"Emmett?" Edward asked. Bella stood back watching the exchange trying not to laugh. She giggled a bit when Alice finally gave up fighting Edward and crossed her arms pouting at her cousin.

"Yeah, Edward what is going on?" Emmett replied.

"Ok, this morning Alice was spying out her window and happened to notice something she wasn't supposed to see." He eyed Alice.

She raised her eyebrows back at him.

"What did she fucking see? Why won't anyone tell me what is going on?"

"I'm at Bella's apartment—we were making out in front of the window."

"What the fuck? Carlisle is going to kick your ass. Don't you remember his speech in Sweden about how we need to let her be and do her job without—"

"It was too late by then," Edward replied before Emmett could continue.

"Too late? You and her since Sweden? No way! That night in the hotel when we kicked you out of the room?"

"Yeah, since then. And before you ask, Tanya knows, and she's using it against us."

"Tanya? I'm not worried about Tanya. I'm thinking about Carlisle and Esme and how they are going to kill you. She'll be so angry at you for running around behind her back. When are you going to tell them?"

"I don't know—soon I'm sure," Edward replied.

"Well, you better tell me when you figure that out—I want to be there for that one. Oh and I called this one that night in Sweden at dinner; I knew you were interested!"

"Shut up," Edward replied. "Anyway, I'm going to let you go. I'm sure Alice and Rose want to finish their conversation."

"Oh, first can I talk to Bella?"

"Why?" Edward asked slowly and looked to Bella.

"Just give her the phone," Emmett demanded.

Edward held the phone to Bella, she gave him a questioning look; he shrugged his shoulders telling her he had no idea why.

"Emmett?" Bella asked.

"Bella, so, been a good month and a half?"

"Uh, yeah," Bella still didn't know what he wanted her for.

"Well, since I was the one who made Edward sleep in your room that night, I'd say you should thank me." Bella hung up the phone on him just as Rosalie punched him in the stomach. "Probably deserved that one," he choked out to his fiancé.

"Yeah you did," Rosalie replied.

"I hung up on him," Bella said as she tossed the phone back to Alice.

"Why? What did he say?" Alice asked.

"Nothing, he was just being Emmett," Bella replied.

"Yeah, probably. Anyway, I'm going to call Rose back, then go home and tell Jasper I won't be killing my cousin." She got up from the couch and headed to the door as she dialled Rose. She grabbed the coffee mug Edward had filled for her. "I'll return your mug, Bella. Oh and next time, please close the curtains," Alice said as the door closed behind her.

Bella looked to Edward and sighed. "That didn't go as planned," she finally said as he handed her a cup of coffee as well. She sat down on the couch.

"No, not really. But it's okay for you?"

"Yeah," Bella began. "We should talk though, and figure some stuff out. We tried to at the beginning of October, but I don't know."

"We aren't casual anymore," Edward started.

She nodded in agreement.

Edward continued, "We are way beyond that. Don't freak out when I say this, but I feel like nothing is okay in my life unless you're right there...like it just doesn't make sense without you; I don't know how I dealt with anything, even the everyday shit before we met."

Nodding, Bella took a sip of her coffee. "I know. Every time I feel bad about anything, or something isn't going my way seeing you can just make it all go away. I feel like having you in my life just makes sense. I want a real relationship, but I know it can't happen, at least not right now; not with the articles and with Tanya." She paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "Alice and Rosalie are right though, we need to do something about her. At least find out why she is here—why she's doing this. I want that out of the way more than anything. I can see what she's doing to you. I hate seeing her hurt you; I hate what she's capable of. She's having such an effect on you, and not just on the ice either." Edward sat down next to her and put his arm around her.

"I don't want you worrying about that. It is my problem."

"No, don't put this all on you, Edward. If I am going to be a part of your life, I'm going to help you through this. I want to do anything I can to help make things better. I care so much about you Edward—I never intended to, but I couldn't help it. Everything changed after you came here after the home opener. It wasn't just about satisfaction, or sex. That night it went so much deeper than that. The moment you came in here needing me to get you through that night was the moment that it became my problem."

"Bella, I—"

"But I get it if you don't feel that way. If you don't want me to help with the Tanya—"

Edward stopped her. "No, Bella that isn't what I'm saying. I want your help if you want to give it, but I don't think it is best for you. I don't want you in the middle of all this."

"Too late for that Cullen. I'm already in the middle of this, and I intend to see it through. You can't get rid of me that easy," she replied. He hugged her closer and kissed the top of her head.

"You're incredible, Bella. You truly are," Edward replied. After a short moment, Edward sighed. "We should probably finish getting ready for the day and head over to see Carlisle and Esme. If we don't tell them right away, someone else will. And we don't want it to be Emmett."

"Rosalie would never let him. But I'm sure they are all heading over there anyway—to see the show."

"They are going to be pissed," Edward thought out loud.

"Really?" Bella's eyes widened and she looked worried again; worried for her job again.

"Not at you! God, Esme will pull you into a huge hug and her smile will be perpetually there all day. She'll be pissed at me for keeping it a secret—she'll think I should have treated you better. Carlisle will be pissed at me because he specifically gave me Emmett and Jasper a talk to treat you well because you have a job to do, and we were not supposed to ruin anything for you or your work here."

"But it didn't have any effect on my work at all. I made sure of it," she quickly replied.

"I know that, Bella, and he'll know that too. He was just warning us to make sure you were put in another bad situation like what he assumed the hotel room was, or Emmett at the Airport."

"Your uncle is a sweetheart."

"He is, and he's protective of those he cares about. And I promise that he cares for you, Bella—the entire family does, and has from the very beginning. So, let's get ready and get some of Esme's amazing cooking for breakfast."

She nodded and headed for a quick shower.

"I cannot believe you two!" Esme said as she got the news. She dropped the piece of French toast that was halfway to her mouth when they told her.

No one said anything, and Bella instantly felt terrible. They were pissed.

"But I'm so happy for you as well," Esme quickly added when she saw Bella's face. She turned to Edward. "You should not have gone behind our backs—Bella deserves better than that."

"Everyone keeps blaming me," Edward joked.

"You could have handled it better, Edward. Especially after our talk," Carlisle replied.

Edward looked to Bella. "See, what did I tell you?"

His aunt and uncle both looked at him questioningly.

Edward grinned. "I told her this is how you'd react."

"I'm so glad you told us. I'll have to thank Alice for spying, but I wish you'd told us sooner." Esme put her hand on top of Bella's, still trying to reassure her. She paused for a moment and realization dawned. "Did Tanya have anything to do with your decision to keep this secret? You shouldn't have to hide because of her."

"Esme, she caught us. We'd been keeping it secret before Tanya came along. She knows, and she'll tell her dad. We've already talked about what she and her father can do to our family in the city paper, but he can bury Bella in the journalism world. I won't let it happen."

Esme's face dropped. "Oh my gosh, I never thought about that." She squeezed Bella's hand. "I'm so sorry. Bella, you don't deserve this—neither of you do. We need to do something about her."

"That's exactly how Alice and Rosalie reacted," Bella replied with a smile. "It's alright though, we will figure it out. Edward and I will just keep it secret, and apparently, remember to close the curtain. Right now, the main thing is that Tanya doesn't have any proof. I'm pretty sure that since her father runs a respected newspaper, and his other papers and magazines are not sleazy tabloid magazines, he won't print anything without the proof to back her up. So, we can't give her that. He might adore his daughter, but he wouldn't risk his reputation over this."

"That makes sense. I actually never thought of it like that," Esme replied. The table sat quietly for a few minutes as they all ate their food and drank coffee. After a couple minutes, they heard the front door open, and Rosalie and Emmett appeared.

"I missed the drama?" Emmett asked.

"Be quiet, Emmett." Esme waved off her son. "If you hurry, there is some French toast left before you head to your skate."

"Yeah, we're leaving in ten minutes," Carlisle added.

"That gives me plenty of time." Emmett hurried to the counter and grabbed two pieces. Rosalie took one.

They dropped the topic of Bella and Edward for the time being. Emmett, Carlisle, and Edward finished eating and got ready to leave for their skate. They had a game that evening—their last home game before a four game road trip. It was Bella's first road trip since Sweden that she'd be going along with.

Emmett and Carlisle approached their respective others, and Bella looked the other way to give them some privacy, only to realize Edward was at her side. He kissed her lightly—surprising her, then he smiled against her lips.

"It feels really nice to be able to do that now." He cupped her cheek with his hand as she nodded. "See you later."

"Bye," she said with a big grin on her face. The guys left, and Esme, Rosalie and Bella turned back to each other.

"Now that there are no men around," Rosalie said with a smile and gave Bella a big hug, "I'm extremely happy for you, and Edward. Emmett is too—he's been joking around about it, but I know he's extremely glad that Edward is in an mature relationship. Ever since Tanya, he's stayed clear of them. I don't mean that he's been a complete man whore or anything, he just doesn't date."

"I don't really know if you'd call our relationship mature or anything. If we'd just been honest from the start we probably wouldn't have the entire Tanya problem. But then at the same time, I probably wouldn't have a job either."

"You'd lose your job?" It was Alice in the doorway; no one had heard her come in. "I passed Dad and the guys on the way in." She quickly explained, then looked back to Bella. "Sorry, continue."

"Well, I don't know if I'd lose my job, because apparently the girl who slept with an agent at the white house still has her job, but I probably wouldn't be writing these articles anymore. I'd be brought home to do a desk job or back to self help again," Bella replied.

"That would not have happened. If your boss had threatened it, I would have called her up and told her that we would not continue with the articles if you were not writing them. Simple as that—she'd agree to it," Esme explained simply. "So if you had told us right away," she added the last part in a very good mom voice. She did not need to finish the sentence.

"Hindsight's 20/20, right?" Bella laughed lightly.

"Yeah, pretty much," Alice replied. "I'm sorry for spying by the way. Believe me, that was not my original plan. I just happened to look out the window and there you were. I'm not sorry however, that I found out. I'm glad we all know now." She hugged Bella. "So, now what are we going to do about Tanya?"

Everyone sat silent for a few minutes, drinking their coffee. "Edward and I can figure that out—we'll sort out all that, you have other things you need to be worrying about, like your wedding for one." She looked to Rosalie.

"A wedding's just a day—albeit an important day for me, but whatever. If we need to focus more on yours and Edward's happiness, then yeah we are going to put wedding plans off. Besides, Alice is a miracle worker, she could put together this wedding in a week if she wanted to."

"She's right, I really could," Alice chimed in jokingly. "But we do need to figure out the Tanya thing, because yeah it's you and Edward, but we'll have to deal with her too, so it will be slightly selfish on our part as well."

Bella just laughed.

"Ok, well, I called my work and asked Angela to look into Tanya—see why she came back now, or why she left New York. I'm sure that she is pissed at Edward and all for their breakup, but there is no way she'd move back here just to get back at him. There is something in this for her. I haven't called Angela back yet, so I don't know what has been found. I also thought I'd dig up some dirt on my own, but I haven't figure out the best way to do it. I know that if she finds out I'm looking into her, it'll blow up in my face."

"We'll get all of this worked out. I've been thinking about looking into this as well," Esme replied. "Figure out why she is back."

"Maybe I'll give Angela a call and see what she found out." Bella pulled out her cell and excused herself to call the office. She got Angela's voice mail. "Hey Angela, it's Bella. Just wondering if you guys have managed to come up with anything about Tanya Denali. Give me a call when you get the chance." She hung up the phone and returned to the kitchen. The other three were putting away the breakfast dishes. Bella thanked them, then told them she got no answer.

"No big deal right now. We've got some time," Rosalie replied. "Did you want to come down to the tailor for our dress sizing's again? They had an opening today, they just called. If we can do it today, then Alice and I will be able to go on the road trip, otherwise the fitting was right in the middle of it."

"Sure," Bella replied reluctantly. She had been to the original fitting, and she could name hundreds of things she'd rather do, but the dress was gorgeous, it was part of her job, and as a friend, it was her duty to go. "As long as I can get a ride. Edward and I took the same car out here."

"No problem, I sent Jasper with Edward so that I'd have a car—I'll drive you," Alice replied. "It's not like you're a long drive from my place."

"No, just a couple windows down," Bella joked.

"Ok, we've sized the dress for you, Miss Hale. We may have to go in a little bit more, but we'll see as soon as we get it on you." The lady who owned the alteration shop said with a smile. Alice offered her to all of her brides because the two had an agreement that there would be a discount. Her assistant brought Rosalie into the fitting room to put it on. Alice walked around looking at accessories in the shop. She was always on the lookout for different pieces for any of her brides. She clearly loved her job, and was perfect for it. Bella planned to bring more about the wedding into the next month's article, so she watched Alice carefully.

After a few minutes, Rosalie came out. She looked stunning in the strapless gown. Alice described it as a strapless A-line gown, the skirt had pick-up detail that had beading on each pick up, and had a semi-cathedral train. The description didn't mean much to Bella, she just knew that it made Rosalie extremely happy, and that she looked amazing in it.

It did need to be brought in a little bit more, but not by much. Bella didn't listen too closely as the seamstress went over what needed to be done with Alice. She watched Rosalie. When Rosalie caught Bella's eye, she smiled even brighter. "It's perfect." Bella said to her.

"I love it. Alice knows her stuff," Rosalie replied looking over the dress again.

"Of course I do," Alice shot back, and then went back to discussing dress plans.

After a few more minutes, they headed to the back again to get her out of the dress. When she returned, the assistant came out with her.

"Time for bridesmaids dresses?" She asked sweetly looking at Bella and Alice.

"Yes," Rosalie replied with a grin.

Alice went towards the assistant who looked at Bella. "Oh, I'm not the other bridesmaid," she said to the assistant.

"Bella, you're definitely her size. Would you mind trying it on? She can't get out here from New York until only a week before the wedding."

"Oh, uh, yeah, sure. But are you sure we're the same size?"

"Yeah, of course you are. Come on."

Bella followed, dragging her feet.

The bridesmaids' dresses were a deep shade of red. They were satin with a halter v-neck top with a wrap waist, and there had what was called tea length hemlines which was just to the knees. Bella wasn't entirely sure why they couldn't just say knee length, but she kept quiet.

It did fit her quite well, and as long as the other girl was her size, there really wouldn't need to be any alterations. "Bella you look so nice in that dress." Alice said happily. "We've never seen you this dressed up—you should do it more often."

"I doubt it. I ruin the cheapest and plainest of clothing. I try to avoid formal wear so that I' not ruining a dress worth several hundred dollars."

"Psh. Who cares?" Alice waved it off. "You should dress up more."

"I care," Bella laughed. "I don't think my bank account would be very happy with me if I kept doing that. My drycleaner might."

The group laughed.

"She is right though, the dress looks as if it were made for you, Bella," Esme replied. "You look extremely beautiful."

"Thanks," Bella replied. Rosalie just nodded her head happily in agreement.

As Bella was taking the dress off, she heard her phone ringing. She hurried to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Bella? It's Angela. I got your message."

"Hey. Thanks for doing that for me, is there anything interesting?" Bella asked as she manoeuvred back into her clothing while keeping the conversation going.

"Actually, yes. It seems extremely interesting. Bella. I think we need to do a piece on her if she's willing. Her story will be great—you should speak to her about it. I'll find someone else to write it of course, but since you're there." Bella sat back into a chair with her shirt only half buttoned up. The other people in the room looked to her questioningly. "You probably already know how popular she is in Colorado. She'd make a great cover piece—if possible, for January."

Bella practically choked. "You want to do a feature on her? A cover feature? This can't be happening."

Thanks again for reading, I hope you can take the time to review. I should be able to get 12 up right away. It's ready!


	13. Chapter 12 - Drama

Hello again. I've worked super hard this morning and got both chapter 11 and 12 edited for you. I hope you are enjoying it. I have one more chapter I need to edit, then from chapter 14 and on I had a great beta for this story, so it should be a little easier to get them posted for you after that. thanks for the patience.

-Margo

Chapter 12 –

"What's wrong with a feature on Tanya Denali?" Angela asked. "You asked me to look into her, and I think the story would be good for the article. Little rich girl who leaves home and builds herself a successful modelling career only to have it fall apart on her. We can start with that, then highlight her moving home and sorting out all her problems hopefully leading up to a big comeback."

"What do you mean fall apart on her?" Bella perked up for a second.

"Why she left New York," Angela replied sounding a little confused.

"We don't know why she left New York." Bella noticed that the other three women in the room were also interested to hear the outcome of the conversation.

"Her father—I think—tried to hush it up for her. I guess she took the Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton path and lost all the shoots she was scheduled to do because she was showing up late either drunk or high. After a couple months of it, her agency dropped her completely. It took a lot for Jessica to dig this up—it was covered extremely well. What we were thinking is that you could talk to her and explain that we are interested in doing a piece on her struggles and how she's brought herself back on the straight and narrow."

Bella snorted slightly.

"Bella?"

"I'm not being a part of this. That woman is psycho! She has been making the entire Cullen family miserable since she returned. Straight and narrow my ass—sorry." She added for the swearing.

"Bella she spent almost three months in a rehabilitation center before returning home to Denver—apparently she's pretty much clean." Angela sounded a little irritated with Bella.

"That's bull, because I've seen her drinking since she's been here."

Alice hurried to stand right next to Bella, trying to hear what was going on at the other end of the conversation.

"Maybe she's learned to control her drinking, or maybe she was mostly at the facility for the drugs. Regardless, I want you to pitch the story to her, she can verify with the Cullen's that we will write it with the utmost respect." This was manager Angela; Bella knew she had no choice when Angela talked like this.

"I cannot pitch that story to her." She tried to get out of it. There was a slight possibility Angela might want to send someone else to deal with it.

Alice was quickly filling in Rose and Esme. Bella could see all three of them trying to assess the situation with Tanya

"Bella, it's your job to do whatever jobs I tell you to do—that' why I'm the boss. Besides, from what Jessica dug up, it doesn't seem like one single member of the Cullen family is upset about her being back."

Bella took a deep breath, she could not freak out on her boss. "Angela, did you not hear what I said? She is making all of their lives miserable. If we print both these stories we will have to lie in one of them—by writing a happy upbeat feature on Tanya and her struggles to become a good person we would be completely be stretching fact. If her actions here are any indication of who she is then…" Bella paused and thought for a minute about the situation. She had a brilliant idea. "Actually, Angela, this might work." Three sets of eyes locked on Bella as if she grew a second head. "I will pitch it to her, but I will not write the article. In fact, I think that the magazine should fly her out to Miami and do everything there. Can I pitch that to her?"

Angela sighed in relief. "Yes, that's fine. Thank you Bella."

"Yeah, we'll see. I'm going to go now—do you mind sending me Jessica's research? Just so I have an idea of the best way to pitch it to her."

"Sure, I'll email it."

"Thanks. Anyway, I'll talk to you later?"

"Bye, Bella."

Bella closed the phone and the other three women stared at her.

"Bella, sending her to Miami to do the article won't solve anything, she'll be back in a couple weeks."

"Yes, but Angela is going to send me the research, so I'll know all her dirty little secrets. Blackmail works in both directions," Bella replied with a smile.

Rosalie grinned and Bella could already see the wheels turning in Alice's head.

"I don't know if this is a good idea, she still knows about you and Edward…" Esme began.

"She has no proof about Edward and I. Besides, I think the promise of a second chance at her career would be a bigger draw than the blackmail on Edward. It makes sense now—she is trying to use Edward to get her career back. Dating a high profile athlete gets attention, and that's what she wants. If we give her this story, she can get her career back, and she won't need Edward to do it."

"I still think it is risky—things like this tend to come back at you," Esme replied sounding worried.

"Then it's a good thing that karma works in both directions. It will bite her in the ass before it comes back to us," Alice replied. "But first, Bella finish taking that dress off and let's go for lunch.

Bella didn't tell Edward any of the details of her plan. She wanted him to worry only about his game that night and the upcoming road trip. They ate a quick dinner together before he headed to the arena. When he left, Bella went straight to her computer and hammered out a rough draft of what she wanted to write. She printed it off and threw it in her purse for once hoping that Tanya would show up at the game.

She didn't, but that was alright, Bella had plenty of time to deal with this.

The national anthems began—first the Canadian because they were playing the Edmonton Oilers, a division team; then the American National Anthem followed.

Bella sat silently, it was getting really hard to watch games and see Edward struggle so much. She'd seen so many clips from previous years—and she saw him in the preseason where he was flawless, but so far in the season it just wasn't the same. She hoped for something different this evening.

The puck dropped and play began, Edward was no longer playing on the first line, so he hadn't started. He was on the second line though, and he'd probably go out in the next minute or so.

Colorado had control of the puck, they shot it in to make a change and Edward's line was on the ice. He skated into the zone and behind the net, where the goalie had just passed the puck from. He followed the player who had the puck and caught up to him quickly. In a quickly move, Edward knocked the puck away from the opposing team member, turned it around, and took off with it.

There were two Edmonton players right behind him, one got his stick out and tripped Edward, and he began to fall to the side of the net. As the ref was blowing the whistle to call the penalty, Edward hit the puck with his stick and it went in under the goalie's pads while Edward slid over toward the boards.

The room erupted, and Edward got up and was enveloped by his teammates. His first goal of the regular season.

Bella and Alice both jumped up and cheered. Alice turned to Rose. "It wasn't really a pretty goal, but who cares, it went in!"

Rose just laughed, and Bella joined in.

The mood in the box lightened significantly; it was clear how worried everyone had been about Edward's mediocre playing through October, and that this one goal made it better. There wasn't even a guarantee that he was back on top of his game, but it didn't really matter in that moment.

Bella watched in awe of the game. This was the Edward she'd heard about since she'd arrived; before the first period was done he'd scored again. In the second period, he got an assist on a goal scored by Emmett.

There were twenty-five seconds left in the game, and the score was 3-2 in favour of the Avalanche. Edmonton had pulled their goalie and were pushing with the extra attacker very hard in the Avalanche end of the ice. Jasper was working overtime. Bella noticed that Alice looked as focussed as she herself felt.

Jasper made a stop and the puck went to his left. Edward was able to get it and moved toward the blue line; he weaved by the Oiler's defence and got out in the open ice. He took a shot from just passed the center line, and it went straight in.

Bella and Alice jumped up, and Bella was shocked as tons of fans began to throw their hats onto the ice.

"What are they doing?"

"He got a hat trick—he scored three goals in the game. Whenever a home team player does that, people throw their hats on the ice."

"Isn't that a waste of hats?" Bella asked but smiled at the entire atmosphere.

"Well, they aren't really all that stylish, so no big deal," Alice replied causing Rose and Bella to chucked.

After the game, Bella got a call from Edward. "Hey, I just wanted to call and say we'd probably be late tonight. So I was thinking, if you and the girls want to meet at After Hours to celebrate, we can go there afterward."

"Yeah, sure, even if they don't want to, I'll meet you there. Congratulations Edward, that was amazing!"

"Thanks beautiful,"

Bella blushed. She was glad he was not able to see it.

"I'll see you in a little while," Edward added.

"Bye," Bella replied.

Alice was next to her. "He just invited you for drinks—how did my cousin manage to make you blush like that?" she joked. Before Bella could even think up an answer, Alice continued. "Oh, and Jasper called me, and yes I'm going to After Hours as well. We should get over there quick. That way we can at least have first pick of all the food—once the guys get there we will have very little chance of getting any."

"Okay, sounds good. Are Rose and Esme coming?"

"Rose is, but Mom is going to go home—something about leaving it to us young people."

"She just wants alone time with your dad," Rose chimed in.

"I don't want to think about that," Alice replied cringing. "Let's go, then."

The girls arrived at After Hours and took a booth in the corner.

"So, Bella, this is where you met Edward right?" Alice was eyeing her. "You never did tell us that story."

"Oh god, please don't do this! I feel like we're in high school," Bella replied.

"So? This is the most interesting thing to happen to the family since Rosalie and Emmett got engaged. We need a little excitement in our personal lives."

Bella shook her head and told them the story. They ordered their food as she continued.

"And we always wondered why he never had girlfriends. Clearly it's because his pickup skills are terrible. 'Loyal clientele' at least he bought you a drink though," Rose said with a laugh.

"Don't tell Emmett he has bad pick up skills—Edward will never hear the end of it," Bella quickly interjected.

"No more than he deserves," Rose joked. "But girl talk is private—Emmett won't hear anything."

"Oh, food's here!" Alice said happily. She took the plate of nachos from the waiter, and he set the wings and fries on the table.

"Thank you," Bella replied.

"More drinks?" The waiter asked.

"Bella will have a long island iced tea," Alice said with a grin.

"I'm fine with my Pepsi," Bella quickly replied.

"No no, Bella, you want a long Island Iced tea," Alice said again.

Bella just shook her head, but agreed.

Bella was only about 3/4 finished her long island when the waiter came with another one. "From the gentleman over there by the bar," their waiter told her.

Bella shook her head, laughing as she did.

"Oh Edward," Alice sighed.

They looked, and Edward was not at the bar, which confused them all.

"Uh, which gentleman?" Alice asked for Bella.

"Hi." A young man that Alice recognised approached the table. She stifled a groan.

Bella turned around. She looked at him for a second; he was smiling at her.

"I'm Jacob, Jacob Black. I thought I'd come over and introduce myself. My teammates and I were just admiring you three from afar." He nodded to a group of young men sitting in another booth. "We just wanted to buy you ladies a drink."

"Does that usually work? Just approaching random girls at the bar and hoping they'll hook up with you?" Rose shot out of nowhere.

Alice stifled a laugh. Bella's eyes widened.

"Thank you, for the drink, but..." Bella began, trying to diffuse the situation.

"But they're taken." Another voice appeared behind him. Emmett stood behind the much shorter younger man looking very menacing. Edward and Jasper were next to him. Jasper had the hint of a grin on his face, and Edward just looked calm, almost uninterested in the situation. "Of all the places around Denver, why'd you and your line mates end up at our usual bar hangout?"

"We read a good review of the place," Jacob replied. "We didn't realize it was private."

"It's not private," Jasper replied. "But certain clientele are not as welcome as others."

"Come on boys, let's turn the testosterone down a little bit. I know there was all that drama at the world cup last year, but let's just enjoy our night out. This place has good food, good drinks, and we can all enjoy ourselves." It was Alice; she smiled then looked to her brother and boyfriend. "So Emmett, Jasper, stop trying to play the big tough guy role. The players from the Oilers are just here to eat. And Black, I know you knew who we were when you came over here. We've met several times at functions. That was pretty low."

"Maybe I was interested in someone else at the table—it's not all about you Alice." He looked to Bella and smiled. She looked away.

"I think you need to go back to your table Jacob," Edward finally spoke.

Emmett laughed.

"Alright, I'm going," Jacob replied. He looked one last time at Bella. "Enjoy your drink." He winked then walked away.

"I don't like him," Edward said as they all sat down.

"Funny, because I vaguely remember you going on about how I was too harsh on him at the World Cup last year," Emmett said with a grin. He and Jacob had been thrown out of the game after fighting; in international hockey, fighting was not acceptable.

"You he was not in your class as a fighter—it was completely unfair," Edward shot back.

"Maybe, but I also vaguely remember you getting all territorial at a dinner in Sweden when Mike decided to sit next to a certain brunette named..."

"Shut up," Edward replied punching his cousin on the arm.

"You two are terrible—and Bella is blushing—so leave her alone," Alice replied.

Bella just took a big drink of her Long Island Iced tea.

"Anyway," Bella finally cut in. "Why don't we get on with our celebrating?" she suggested. "You were amazing tonight." She smiled at Edward.

"He was alright," Emmett added. Rosalie punched him in the arm and shook her head.

Emmett pouted after being punched twice.

"Thank you," Edward said to Rosalie as he put his arm around Bella and grabbed himself some food.

The group talked and joked for the evening; there was no more drama with Jacob and the other Oilers players. Alice noticed that Jacob glanced over at their table far too often, but she seemed to be the only one who saw it. The other players, including the Captain of the team, Sam Uley, nodded towards their table in a sign of respect.

Bella quickly consumed both of her long island iced teas, and the entire table did two Alamo shots—half tequila and half Jack Daniels—which definitely was not a good idea, but Emmett had insisted.

"Ready to go?" Edward asked Bella, knowing she was exhausted. She just nodded.

They walked quietly back to their building and through the foyer. They were careful not to act too much like a couple. His family might know, but there were still a lot of factors that required them to stay secret. They got into the elevator, and Bella leaned her head on Edward's shoulder.

She pressed the button for her floor and the elevator began to move. "I'm tired. And I think I'm a little drunk."

"I think you are too. But you're cute when you're a little drunk." He put his arm tightly around her. The elevator door opened and Bella took a step forward. Edward held her back. He pressed the close door button and pulled her back to him. He lifted her chin and bent down to kiss her.

She felt the elevator moving. She tried to pull back from him, but he just moved with her. He had her pinned against the wall of the elevator and his mouth was on hers as his hands were running through her hair.

Before she could think straight, she heard the elevator door open, and she forced him back, worried their kiss would be witnessed by the entire lobby. She looked and saw that they were on an apartment floor. The number said 15.

She looked to him.

"Tonight is special. We don't have to hide from them anymore." He ran his hand through her hair, pushing it out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. "After that game, all I could think about was getting you back to the apartment—my apartment—not that there is anything wrong with yours, but I love having you in my space."

"I know—I get it," she replied smiling up at him. "Tonight is special."

Edward closed the door behind himself when they arrived at his apartment. He held her close. Everything about the evening felt different. He'd always known how Bella fit with his family as a friend and colleague to them, but after his amazing game and the snacks and drinks afterward, he saw how she fit with his family as his girlfriend. He couldn't help but love it.

Bella took her coat off and dropped it on Edward's couch. He did the same. "My room—we never quite made it there last time." He kissed her neck as he came up behind her and lightly pushed her forward.

"I'm glad."

"What?" he asked.

"I'm glad that it's today—not then," she replied. He held her tighter as they walked to his room.

When they got into his room, he turned her and sat her down on his bed. He bent down and pulled her shoes off, then kicked off his own. He kissed her, cupping the back of her neck. With his free hand, he reached down and undid the button on her jeans, then unzipped the zipper. She lifted herself up a little and slipped them down. Somehow between the two of them, they got them off without taking his lips off her. He smiled against her lips when he saw that she was not wearing any underwear.

He continued kissing her but moved down to her neck. Briefly, he broke the kiss to pull her shirt over her head. Her bra was off immediately afterward, and he lifted her enough so that he could get her up at the top of the bed.

When there, she rested her head back on the pillow and he began to kiss his way down her body—stopping to pay close attention to each of her breasts. He gently opened her legs and kissed the inside of both thighs.

She wiggled in anticipation, and he smiled but steadied her. He licked her core up and down finally stopping at her nub, which he began to tease slowly at first. He put more pressure with his tongue and she began to buck her hips, he held her down with one hand while the other moved between her legs.

He ran one finger up and down her while he continued licked and playing with her clit. He began to slide his finger inside her. Bella moaned and began bunching his sheets in her hands.

He continued for a few minutes longer, and when he could tell she was getting really close, he lightly bit down on her and pushed a second finger in.

She cried out, but cut herself off as she came. She was pretty sure the sheets would never become unwrinkled, and she really didn't care as he continued his ministrations and let her ride out her orgasm.

She collapsed back into the pillow, and he climbed up next to her. He could see that she was spent. He pulled his pants and dress shirt off and curled up next to her. She turned back to him and reached under his shirt.

He stopped her.

"What?" she asked.

"You're tired, and still a little drunk Bella. I can wait," he whispered into her ear.

She pulled back and smiled at him touched at his compassion, but she shook her head. "So what if you can wait. Maybe I want you to make me come again. Ever think about that?" She reached inside his boxers and wrapped her hand around him.

"Shit!" he whispered through clenched teeth. "Alright then," he added then slipped his boxers off.

He rolled with her until he was on top of her, but made sure not to put too much of his weight on her. She spread her legs so that he fit perfectly in between them. His hands ran aimlessly up and down her sides, and she lifted her hips up to him telling him that he needed to hurry up. He smiled then knelt down and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and her legs around his hips.

He entered her then—slowly and completely. They were both still for a few seconds, and they caught each other's eyes. "Bella," He whispered as he bent down again and kissed her.

He moved inside her quicker now, and he took one finger and began to tease her clit again.

He could feel her getting closer, and he was pretty sure they'd finish extremely quickly.

He was right. Bella began meeting his strokes even stronger and pushing him even closer each time.

When she did come, he was pretty sure she yelled out his name, but because he was finished at the same moment she was, he wasn't entirely sure he heard it or just imagined it.

He pulled out of her and rolled off. She turned to her side and tucked herself closely up to him. He manoeuvred the blanket over them and very quickly, they fell asleep.

For the second time after an evening with Edward at After Hours, Bella woke with a horrible headache.

"Good morning," Edward whispered in her ear.

"Not so loud," Bella replied

"I was whispering Bella."

"Oh."

"But now I am going to go get you some Tylenol and water. You don't drink well."

"Yeah I'm a lightweight. But Alamo's are a terrible thing." Edward just nodded and laughed quietly. He kissed her cheek and got up to get her the hangover treatment.

It really did not help. Bella felt horrible for the entire morning. She went slowly around Edward's apartment, and after he needed to leave to catch the team bus to the airport, she took a nap in her apartment.

Alice would have none of that though, and around ten she was at Bella's, insisted that Bella get up, and get over the hangover. She made the headache worse by turning on the blender and Bella was ready to kill her. She handed Bella a drink when everything was finished.

"What is it?" It was a dark brown and looked like a beef smoothie.

"You don't want to know, but it works," Alice replied. "Drink up, because we need to get going soon. There is a game in Detroit tonight."

"I know. Why do they do that?"

"Back to back games?"

Bella nodded.

"Uh, yeah that's because the people who do the scheduling suck and personally hate us," Alice replied casually.

An hour later, they were ready to go and met up with Esme and Rosalie to go to the airport.

Bella took some gravol before the flight, and slept through most of it. She still felt like hell when they arrived, and Rose took her straight to the hotel and let her sleep. After she had Bella settled, Rose went to meet Esme ad Alice who were going down to a press conference Carlisle was doing.

"She still really sick?" Edward asked Alice when they arrived and Bella was not with them.

"Yeah, Bella and alcohol don't mix. Emmett owes her for making her do those stupid Alamo's," she replied eyeing her brother who was whispering with his fiancé.

"Yeah, we can guilt him into feeling bad," Edward smiled. The press conference was about to begin, but Edward didn't really feel like sitting around listening to it. "Want to wander? Jasper is around here somewhere, and we've all heard this speech before."

"Several hundred times," Alice replied. The two walked by Rose and Emmett who just nodded in their direction, and then they headed down the hall.

After only a few minutes of wandering, an unwelcome voice came from behind them. "Well look who it is. Denver's little superstar—choked much lately, Cullen?"

Edward turned to see probably the only person in the pro hockey world that he absolutely hated. James Stanton, the star forward of the Detroit Red Wings stood in front of them with a satisfied grin on his face. Edward had hoped to avoid seeing him until they were both on the ice. He and James had competed for everything in juniors and it always killed James that Edward won the award for best Rookie the year they both entered the NHL—especially since Edward was two years younger than he was.

"Aw, and you brought little Alice with you. She and I have unfinished business you know."

Alice's eyes widened.

Edward was about two steps from punching the guy out, but Alice stopped him, She didn't want to deal with the repercussions. "It's not worth it Edward. He can't hurt me anymore," she said quietly to him. "Let's just walk away. Ignore him." She steered him down the hall away from James, he just laughed behind them.

ok...so I know introducing James and Jacob is a little weird since I haven't resolved anything Tanya related...but don't worry I have not forgotten her. :) It will be dealt with!


	14. Chapter 13 - Rivalry

Hey everyone.

Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter, but I've been busy. I went on vacation for a week, then came back and it was the Stampede for the next ten days (Meet Me on the Midway readers will understand my love for the Calgary Stampede), and at the same time I started my summer job. Finally though, things have settled into a more normal pattern and I'll get chapters out for you. Thanks for your patience, and enjoy!

Chapter 13 –

Edward got ready for the game in silence; he was not in the mood to do interviews and Carlisle allowed him the space. He was wound up from the previous conversation with James. He despised him, and it was no secret in the hockey world.

The two played together on the same team in juniors. Edward had been just a little bit better—he wasn't bragging—it was the simple truth, and James had always hated it. They competed for everything, and Edward always won. James began to resent him more and more as time went on, and one day decided that if he couldn't beat Edward on the ice, he'd get back at him some other way.

"Get it out of your head," Emmett said as he sat down next to him. "Beat him on the ice like you always do. It's the only way he can get at you now, and you don't have to let him."

"I know. I just need to focus on the game and not on him or the history."

"Think about last night—I bet it felt pretty freaking nice."

"That's not really something I'm going to discuss with my cousin," Edward replied quickly.

"Wait...what? Oh I don't mean about Bella, dude I was not thinking about that! God, now I'm thinking about that. Shit! I meant the game last night."

"Uh...oh. Yeah that makes a lot more sense," Edward replied embarrassed.

"But you know what—maybe thinking about the girl will be a good thing." Emmett pushed him lightly and Edward's mood lightened a little.

Bella was still in the hotel room. She had fallen asleep on her bed and was only awakened when someone came in the room. She heard Alice and Rosalie.

"I can't believe he had the nerve to say that to you. I just wish Jasper had been there. I can't believe Edward didn't do anything," Rosalie was saying to Alice.

"Jasper doesn't really know all the details, and I didn't want Edward to do it. It would have made things worse...oh" She looked and saw that they had woken Bella up. "Bella I'm sorry, I didn't realize you'd be sleeping."

"No, it's fine. I need to get up anyway—the game starts soon."

"Yeah, that's why we came to get you, but if you don't feel up to it everyone will understand," Rosalie offered.

"I feel a little better actually. I'll just take a bit more Tylenol and then we can go." She went to her bag, took a pill, and then grabbed her purse. She knew she had to go to the game because Tanya would be there tonight—in fact, they were in the same box. "Let's go."

The three headed into the elevator. Bella wanted to make conversation, so she decided to bring up some of the stuff she'd learned about the other team. "So, there's like a big rivalry between the Avalanche and the Detroit team right?"

"Yeah, there's also a pretty personal rivalry between Edward and their star forward."

"Really?" Bella asked intrigued. "He never told me."

"Yeah—James Stanton—he and Edward used to compete all the time, and Edward was better which pissed James off," Rosalie replied.

"Is that who you were talking about when you guys came in?" The two looked at each other. "Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation. You don't have to tell me anything."

"No, it's okay," Alice replied. "Basically James decided that if he couldn't beat Edward on the ice, he'd find a way to get to him off of it. And it turns out, I was his outlet to do it. We dated for a while—he was really nice at first. I was really young at the time, only sixteen, and no matter how much Edward kept telling me to be careful, I didn't really listen. So one weekend, he took me out and drove me out to a stupid motel expecting a lot more than I wanted, so I locked myself into the washroom, climbed out the window, and walked to the nearest gas station where I called Edward."

The elevator reached the lobby, and they headed towards the front door where they had a car waiting. "Jackass picked a bad weekend to put his plan into action because Emmett, who played juniors in a different city, was in town for the weekend. So we all went down, picked up Alice, then drove to the hotel and while the two of us waited in Emmett's car, they beat the shit out of James," Rosalie added.

"He deserved it," Bella replied.

"Sure did," Alice replied. "Before the end of the season James was traded to a different team and ever since then, James had made it clear that he will do anything to beat Edward."

"And by anything..." Bella started.

"Uh, well the last time they played together, James got and elbowing, high sticking, and roughing penalty against Edward."

"Oh." Bella's eyes widened, and she was worried.

"Don't worry—Emmett takes care of him, and James gets it as good as he gives it. James knows he can't do too much to hurt Edward without Emmett killing him," Alice quickly added. The three were in the car heading down to the arena. "How's your headache Bella?"

"It's okay, I'm sure it'll be much worse after we get in the arena, but I want to go tonight," Bella replied.

"Okay," Alice replied. The three were fairly quiet for most of the ride over to Joe Louis Arena.

When they arrived, they went straight to the box that had been set aside for them. Esme was already there and so was Tanya.

"Oh, I didn't realize you were coming." Tanya smiled an obviously fake sweet smile at Bella.

"Funny, I knew you'd be here," Bella replied quickly and gave her a smile back. "Actually I was looking forward to speaking with you tonight. Got a minute?" She challenged her; Bella knew very well that Tanya wouldn't back down either.

"Of course," she replied eying Bella, and the two walked over to an unoccupied corner of the box. Alice and Rosalie smiled as they went to their seats; they couldn't wait to see the look on Tanya's face when Bella got to the point.

"So here's the thing. You are going to leave me, Edward, and the whole Cullen family alone—you're not going to let your daddy print anything on the two of us without our permission, and you are going to drop this charade about dating Edward and leave us the fuck alone."

"Excuse me? I don't think you are in a position to be giving propositions. Edward would freak..."

"Don't even pretend to act like you know how Edward would react to this situation." She cut her off abruptly. "And in case you didn't notice, I was not giving you an option. Just remember, you have no real proof that there is anything going on with Edward and I, and I have ample proof to sink you even further than you already are." Bella could see Tanya was thinking trying to figure out exactly what Bella knew. "Besides, I'm sure any paper that rivals your fathers would just love to print a story about how daddy's little princess fucked up her life and got fired from every modelling job she had before running back home and fabricating a relationship with a prominent hockey player to try to kick start her own career."

"If that story gets printed anywhere, everything I know about you and Edward will be front page news in my father's paper."

"I don't believe that for a second, your father doesn't own a tabloid magazine, he owns a reputable newspaper and you have no real proof. He wouldn't print it without that proof."

"Even if you're right about the fact that I have no proof, doesn't mean I am going to go along with your story for nothing."

"I'm not offering nothing. I am offering a lot more than you deserve. My magazine is interested in your story for a feature in a later issue. They want to fly you down to Miami do an intensive interview and photo shoot. I'm offering you the chance to kick start your career again. A fake relationship with Edward was never going to get you out of the hole you dug for yourself, but this actually can. So, if you want this opportunity, you will leave Edward and the entire Cullen family alone, stop trying to blackmail them, and simply move along." Bella grabbed out one of Angela's cards. "That is my editor, Angela's information, she will give you more details, but I swear to you, any word about what you know and this entire deal is gone in a heartbeat. Those are the terms—take them or leave them."

Tanya was silent for a moment, but Bella knew she had her hooked. There was no way the attention craving heiress would give this up. "Fine, but none of what you know gets out, when I tell my story to your magazine it will be the story I want to tell."

"The magazine knows the true story, and they will not let you make up a fairy tale, but there is the option for some details to be left out. That is for you to work out with Angela—my part is finished," Bella replied satisfied that she had won the battle. "So, maybe it would be best if you just left right now." Glancing between the door and Tanya, Bella felt extreme happy that it had worked. She'd never blackmailed a person before, and probably never expected it to happen, but in this case it felt great.

Tanya nodded and walk to the door already dialling on her cell to get someone to pick her up; Bella smiled, and Alice approached. "It worked?"

"Yep, she's gone. Sounds like it'll be for good this time."

"She still knows the truth about everything—it could still be trouble just waiting to happen," Rosalie added.

"I doubt it. Angela knows her job, and she knows that a story on Tanya Denali will sell magazines. She'll give her what she wants, and Tanya will be satisfied."

"That doesn't mean she won't go back down the same path she was on before." This time it was Esme.

"By the time she manages to do that there will be no story, either Edward and I will have broken up, or my articles will be finished and there will no longer be a conflict of interest—preferably the latter."

The three laughed lightly. Finally, Alice brought up the subject that Bella was not sure she wanted to have just yet. "Have you and Edward talked about that yet? What you're going to do when the season is over, and you're finished the articles?"

"Not really—we've touched on the subject, but we don't really know what we're going to do just yet."

"That's fine Bella. There's a long time before any decisions really need to be made." Esme smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "I think the anthem is starting pretty quick—let's go watch the game." The four went and sat down as the teams took the ice, and a blonde woman came out to sing the National Anthem.

Edward couldn't stand still as the anthem was sung; he had too much on his mind. He knew James would be coming for him tonight—it was certain—but he also knew that Emmett was there too. He had faith in himself, his team and his coach, but for some reason something didn't feel right about the game.

Lost in his thoughts, he hardly realized that the anthem was finished and the skaters began to move around, Emmett came up to him. "You alright?"

"Yeah, sorry—just thinking." Edward skated away and got ready for the opening faceoff.

He was in front of James now; the other man simply grinned at him. "Good luck, Cullen."

"We won't need it," Edward replied.

The puck dropped and play began. Edward won the faceoff and passed immediately to Tyler who made his way forward and got a shot on goal. Detroit took over and passed the puck forward to one of their forwards who skated towards their zone but the whistle was blown because James was off side. Immediately he complained the ref and the crowd booed a little, but regardless the faceoff was out of the zone.

Edward won the face off again, and after passing the puck to Emmett so they could set up, he took the pass back from his cousin before he avoided hit by a Detroit defenseman. He lost the puck and turned back around. Detroit got a chance on goal but Jasper held on. The whistle was blown and both teams went for a change. On the way to the bench, James took a cheap shot and knocked into Edward tripping him. Emmett came immediately to his aid and knocked James to the side.

That was how the game went for the first two periods—there were lots of chances but both goalies, Jasper on one end, and the previous year's Vezina Trophy winner Laurent Friesen on the other end. Finally, with eight minutes left in the third, Edward—after a quick change charged into the zone and took a shot on goal, and the rebound went right to Tristan who put the puck in the back of the net.

"Yes!" Edward screamed as he and the other players on the ice hurried over and congratulated Tristan.

"We've got this one!" Emmett called as they got together as a group.

After high fiving the bench, the two teams got back into formation for the puck drop at center ice. It was Edward against James again, and James was livid for good reason.

The puck dropped, and again Edward won the faceoff. He got the puck down to Emmett and everyone headed forward, he got the puck back and immediately passed to Tyler. Several seconds after he passed the puck, before he knew it was coming, he saw the red blur of a Detroit player to his right and he was smashed into the boards.

His foot got jammed at the bottom of the boards and he felt instant pain. He crumbled over. The whistle blew, and he watched as Emmett rushed over and began to pound on James who had apparently been the player to hit him.

The refs broke it up as the medic made his way to Edward. James was taken to the bench and forced to go to the locker room; he was out of the game for sure. Hits were fine if they were clean, but James rarely played a clean game.

"Edward, you okay?" It was Emmett

"Fuck, my ankle hurts so much," he said through clenched teeth. The medic went straight to his ankle, as soon as he touched it Edward cursed and the medic called for the stretcher to be brought over. "No, I can skate off, just help me up." Edward said as he sat up and reached for his cousin.

Emmett hoisted him up, and balancing on one foot, and his cousin, Edward made it over to the bench. From there several trainers and medics helped him back toward the locker room.

Inside the arena, the crowd booed loudly as they announced that James was out for the rest of the game, but Bella heard none of it. All she could think about was the look of Edward sprawled across the ice in obvious pain. The eyes of the three women in the box with her told her what she already knew—that this was bad—much worse than any on ice injury she'd witnessed so far in the season.

"Esme?" Bella finally spoke, but it was barely a whisper. Tears filled her eyes as she waited for a response, but Esme just shook her head, and Alice put her hand on Bella's shoulder. Rosalie sat motionlessly in her seat.

As the Red Wings called a time out, Bella glanced out of their box and saw that the jumbotron was focussed on them in their box.

"I need some air," she said as she got up quickly; Alice followed right behind her. They went out to a smoking area that was unoccupied at the moment. "He's okay right?"

"Bella, I don't know—I wish I did."

"It's not the first time it's happened, though, he's been hurt before." Bella knew that from somewhere, she clung to the thought that he'd bounce back from this in no time.

"Yeah, of course, and we don't even know how bad it is. It's always scary when they go down like that. Injuries are tough." Bella just nodded, he would be fine. It was Edward after all, he'd bounce back from this. In fact, he might even make it back on the bench before the game ended.

"Let's go back inside." Alice agreed and they made their way back to the box. Edward hadn't returned, and Esme was on the phone.

"Ok, yes we'll be over as soon as possible. Bye." She closed her phone and turned to the three younger women. "They've taken him to the hospital, they don't think it's broken, but they need to do some x-rays anyway. We'll head over now, and after the game is done Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper will be going over there." She was already pulling on her coat, and the four were out of the building extremely fast.

As they made their way to the car, a few photos were taken of them, but they didn't acknowledge the photographers or answer any questions the reporters had for them. Bella sat in the car not seeing anything that went by she felt numb. As much as she'd been trying to convince herself that it was all a precaution and that Edward was fine, the sinking feeling that something was not right kept creeping up on her.

By the time they reached the hospital, Bella just knew that it was bad, and she prepared herself for the worst. Edward was in a private room sitting with several ice packs around his ankles. One of the team trainers was in the room, but he excused himself when they arrived giving them privacy.

Bella almost jumped for joy in seeing him sitting there seemingly alright. He looked tired more than anything, and she was sure that it was all okay.

"It's not broken," Edward finally said. Every breathed a sigh of relief. "They think it is a high ankle sprain."

A sprain, Bella was extremely excited, that was no big deal, just a sprain; she'd worried for nothing. But she also noticed that no one else looked at all happy with that.

"It's not that good, Bella," Edward said to her when he saw that her face looked a little happier when he said it. "I'll be out for at least six weeks—maybe more than two months." Her face fell again and the tears began to well up. "Aw, Bella," he said reaching a hand out to her.

"Mom, Rose, let's go get some coffee and call Dad—the game will be over now," Alice quickly interrupted.

"Yeah, sounds good," Esme replied. Alice hurried them out of the room to give Bella and Edward a minute. Edward nodded thanks to her

"I'm sorry, a sprain sounded so much better than a break—I didn't realize." The tears fell now. "I just didn't know. If I had, I wouldn't have been smiling. I just didn't know."

Edward pulled her close. "Of course you didn't, and it is that much better than a break. If it was broken I'd be out for much longer. Don't cry Bella. I'll be fine—I promise." He kissed the top of her head.

"I was so worried! All I could see was you getting hit. It just kept replaying in my mind. I felt instantly ill, like I was going to faint, or throw up or something. God, that doesn't even matter, I shouldn't be rambling about how I felt. You must have been in so much pain. I'm really bad in rough situations, grace under fire is not one of my greatest qualities, and I'm doing it again." She shut her mouth and looked up at him awkwardly feeling like a heartless idiot.

"Oh, Bella, you can ramble all you want. I'm so sorry to put you through that. I promise, I'll be fine. Do you want water or anything? I don't want you getting sick because of me." Edward looked around and was ready to call a nurse to get Bella a drink or something.

"Who cares about me, I'm fine. I don't matter right now—you matter right now."

"You always matter, and you always will. Here, sit." He shuffled over on the bed and sucked in air as he moved his ankle but made some room for Bella on the bed.

"What are you doing? Stop moving! You'll hurt yourself. I don't need to sit—I'm fine." She did not want him in any pain on her account.

"Well, I'd like for you to sit next to me. I don't know if you realized this, but I kinda like having you around Bella Swan." He patted the bed and she climbed up with him. He held her closely and she tucked her head under his chin, they both leaned back onto the pile of pillows the nurse had given him earlier to rest on.

Bella, against her own wishes, fell asleep on his shoulder. When everyone else arrived at the room, Edward shushed them.

"How you doing?" Carlisle asked him.

"It sucks, but I'll deal."

"You in a lot of pain?" Emmett asked as he sat on one of the chairs in the room, Rosalie placed herself on his lap.

"They gave me quite a bit of pain killers. I feel it a little if I bump it or move it, but just sitting I don't feel it very much." Edward replied. He looked down at the sleeping girl on his shoulder. "She needs to get to the hotel though. She's still pretty sick and hung over, and I pretty sure she was on quite an emotional rollercoaster tonight."

"I've never seem someone go that pale as fast as she did when you went down Edward. If she'd been standing I'm pretty sure she would have fainted." Esme smiled affectionately at Bella.

"She's exhausted I'm sure, even though she spent half the day in bed, last night was not a good night for her. Bella is definitely a lightweight," Alice said with a smile. "The doctor said you are good to go as soon as they get you some crutches and a walking cast. Why don't Emmett, Rose and I take Bella back to the hotel while you do that, and then you, Mom, and Dad can come when you're finished," she offered.

"Sure, sounds good." Edward lightly nudged Bella who moaned from being woken up. Almost immediately, she noticed where she was and who was all in the room, and she instantly reddened.

"Sorry, I haven't felt well all day," she apologized quietly, too embarrassed to make eye contact with anyone in the room.

"Yeah," Edward started.

She focussed on him.

"Emmett, Rose and Alice are going to take you back to the hotel, I've got a few more things they need to do before I get out of here, but I won't be long," Edward continued.

"I can wait for you—I'll just have some coffee and keep myself awake." She sat up straight and moved to the edge of the bed.

"Staying up longer is the last thing you need. Just go back to the hotel, and I'll see you first thing in the morning when we both feel a little bit better," Edward replied reassuringly.

Bella nodded. "Okay." She got off the bed, but gave Edward a quick kiss on the cheek before she went with the others back to the hotel.

When they left the room, Esme turned to her nephew. "She's perfect for you, you know."

"Yeah, Edward, you couldn't have found a better girl if you created her yourself," Carlisle added.

"I know," he said with a grin on his face. And oddly, he didn't even think about the injury. Bella trumped even that.


	15. Chapter 14 - Recovery?

As promised, things are more normal, and you can expect regular updates. From now on the original story had an amazing beta, and there should be far fewer mistakes than there have been in the first several chapters. Thanks again for reading. Please review if you have time.

Chapter 14 –

Bella woke the following morning, feeling physically better than she had the day before. Then she remembered the drama and the injury and she still felt a bit miserable.

"You're up! Good. You should call Edward. He has been trying to get a hold of you for almost an hour now. He called your cell four times before I finally told him that I'd make sure you called as soon as you woke up. I think he's worried about you; you were kind of out of it yesterday." Rosalie was finishing putting her makeup on for the day.

Bella glanced at the clock. It was almost ten. No wonder Edward was calling her. She should have been up long before then.

"He gets injured and he's calling to make sure I'm okay." She just shook her head before quickly getting out of bed. She used the bathroom and splashed some water on her face before calling Edward.

He picked up after only one ring. "Bella?" he asked.

"Yeah, that was quick. Were you sitting on the phone or something?" she joked.

"Pretty much. I was waiting for you get up. How you feeling? Any better?"

"I feel fine, how about you? Is the ankle really sore?"

"They've got me in a walking cast, but I've got to fly back to Denver today. Carlisle and I talked, and it's probably better for me to get back there and do physio as soon as possible. What good would I be watching the games from box seats anyway? At least at home I can get into a routine."

"Yeah, that makes sense. You might as well get better as fast as possible."

There was a pause in the conversation, and Bella could just tell that Edward was thinking something through carefully before speaking. "I was thinking that you should come back with me. It'll mean there will be some time for just the two of us for several days and no crazy hockey schedule to work around. I talked to Esme to make sure it would be okay, and that you guys didn't have anything specific that needed to be gone over for the article..." She stopped him.

"Edward, I'd love to…" She bit her lip before continuing, "But I can't; it's my job. I need to get a feel for what goes on with Esme, Alice and Rosalie on away trips. I can't let what we have, get in the way of that. This is the exact reason they call it a conflict of interest."

"It's barely a week Bella, and Esme said that..."

"Of course Esme is all for it, Edward, she adores you and wants you to be happy. Me going back home with you would be great for us, but I came here as a writer, and this type of situation is exactly the thing that the articles were designed to do. To show readers how the wives and girlfriends of sports figures deal with the regular ups and downs of pro sports. If I go with you I lose that entire side of the story. I want to go home with you, believe me; but I can't give up my story."

"Right, it makes sense. Listen, my cab is going to be here soon. I'll call you when I get home."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye." He hung up and Bella put down her phone. He was mad, no denying it, and she saw his side of it, but she could not put her job on the line for a week of alone time with her boyfriend.

"Don't regret your decision Bella." Rosalie brought her out of her thoughts. "I know how you feel. Their job is crazy. It pushes and pulls you all over the place, but just do what Alice and I do. We make sure that we still have our lives and our careers. Even if they get traded, we won't give up our jobs, we'll just adapt. Edward shouldn't expect you to give up anything about your job either. It's pretty obvious that you are fairly new to the relationship thing, no offense,"

Bella shook her head, letting her know none was taken.

"And Edward doesn't really date either. He used to have dates fairly often, but never more than one or two, and those girls would probably have done anything if he asked it of them, but that doesn't really make a relationship. There needs to be more than that. It seems like you and Edward are capable of its, and personally, I would have thought a little bit lower of you if you had gone back with him. Don't tell Esme. She just wants him to be happy, but I know both of you well enough to know that neither of you would be happy if you became that girl."

Bella didn't reply right away. Finally she said thank you; it was extremely good advice.

"I try to stay out of people's business as much as possible, but I do have decent relationship advice. Just remember, I've been dealing with Emmett since primary school, and trust me, Edward will be much easier to break in than Emmett ever was."

"I believe that one," Bella laughed, picturing Rosalie bossing a ten year old Emmett around on a playground somewhere. She was positive it happened at some point in time or other.

Edward did not have a good flight home. He was comfortable enough in first class with prescription pain killers on hand, but he couldn't get the conversation with Bella out of his head. It was only a few days that she would be away. Why did it really matter, especially since Esme had agreed? But Bella had been very clear that she needed to stay.

When the airplane landed and he'd gotten his luggage, he turned his phone back on an immediately dialed Bella, but didn't press send. He'd rather not have a long conversation when he was still a little confused and frustrated with her.

Instead, he texted her: _I'm home...Tired, I think I'll go to bed, Cya later. – E_

Sure, it was kind of tacky to text her when he'd clearly said that he'd call her, but it couldn't really matter too much.

That was how the following week went. He and Bella spoke through text message, and only had an actual conversation once, and it was interrupted by Alice wanting to take Bella to dinner. It was impossible to have a real conversation through texting and that the problem wasn't going to be figured out by texting, and both of them were fully aware that it was true, but neither felt like stirring up more drama. It was a minor disagreement that they did not want to turn into a full blown fight.

It was the day that everyone was supposed to return home. Edward had been in a pretty rough physio earlier in the day, and was out of the walking cast, but still on crutches. He was already in a mood, but still felt he should go up to the airport to meet his family, and Bella.

When they arrived through the gate he couldn't help but smile at seeing Bella; stuff hadn't been great while she was gone, but she could still catch his eye no matter what. He greeted everyone and told them the general progress of his treatment, even though he had given them regular updates all throughout the week.

Carlisle and Emmett went to get cabs for themselves.

"Jasper, why don't you go find a cab? There is no way all of my luggage will fit with everyone else's," Alice said with a smile, telling him to follow.

"We live in the same building, Alice. I think I can drive you and Jasper back to the apartments," Edward replied. Jasper stopped and looked back and forth between the two, not sure if he should be getting a cab, or heading towards Edward's car.

Alice had other ideas. She was well aware of the tension that was following Edward and Bella, and she wanted them to have some real alone time. It would help. She just knew it would.

"Yeah, like all my stuff is going to fit with Jasper and Bella's stuff. You should just drive Bella home and we'll get a cab." She nodded at Jasper and he hurried off.

Jasper knew that Alice didn't travel light. After all the years she'd traveled for various hockey-related events, she still packed like she was going on a two month vacation. Jasper returned, and the two headed toward the door.

Edward turned to Bella and smiled. "Want me to take your bag for you?" He looked at her suitcase.

"I'm good...it rolls," she replied awkwardly.

"Right," Edward spun around and Bella followed. It was going to be one awkward car ride.

Bella sat silently next to Edward, not sure of what to say. She would not apologize for staying on the road trip. It was important to her articles, and in fact, the next piece was going to be about the trip, and the adaptation to the unfortunate situation.

"How's your leg?" Bella finally asked.

"It's getting better. I still can't put much pressure on it, but at least it's my left."

"Yeah," There was silence again. Bella looked over to Edward a few times before finally getting the courage to open her mouth.

"This is stupid; we should not be this awkward around each other. We are adults, not junior high kids."

"Thank God you said it. Listen, I'm not mad that you stayed. I know that it's your job, and it's important that you do your job well. I just don't know why you needed to stay when Esme said you didn't have to."

"It made sense to stay. The situation itself screamed that this needed to be a part of the story I'm trying to tell. Anyone who follows hockey will know what happened to you, and if I don't at least acknowledge it in my writing, how are they supposed to get a real true article about the lives of the women in your life if I don't tell it in detail when things are bad? It only makes sense to tell the readers what happens for them in this situation. Believe me, I would have much rather spent the week here with you making sure you were alright, but it's work, and we all have to do it."

"I don't know, it just seems like you didn't want to deal with us, so you hid behind work," he replied quickly - too quickly. To Bella, this felt like it was becoming a fight.

"I thought you weren't mad."

"I'm not," he said in an equally as quick response.

"You don't sound very happy."

He glanced at her.

"Hear me out at least. I would never ask you to give up any part of your job, even temporarily, for my own benefit. Could you even imagine me coming up to you and asking you to just skip a game because I had time off?"

"It's not like I was on vacation, Bella. I was in a cast doing physio, not relaxing. Let's just not talk about it. I don't want to fight with you for the entire the night. I've had a miserable week and physio sucked this afternoon." She didn't reply and he turned the radio up a little bit to fill the void.

Edward helped her get her bags out of the car when they parked and rode up the elevator together until they reached Bella's floor. It was completely silent. Bella got into her apartment thinking about their mini, sort-of fight. She knew she was right; his job could not play supreme over hers. Unfortunately though, she missed him. It had been almost a full week since she saw him, and the last thing she wanted was to be fighting with him.

She hurried out her door and to the elevator. She waited for a few seconds and when the doors opened for Edward's floor, he was standing there, crutches and al, waiting to get on the Elevator. "I'm sorry..." Bella said.

"No, it is not your fault. It's mine. I know you have a life and your job is just as important as mine is. This last week has been insane and I really really just wanted to see you."

"Good." The two started towards Edward's apartment. "You should make it up to me, but for now I'd really just like some makeup sex."

"I can arrange that." He closed his door behind him with one of his crutches.

They awkwardly made it to Edward's bed where he sat down on the side of it, putting the crutches down next to the bed. Bella stepped back out of his reach and slipped out of the pants she was wearing, underwear and all.

Her top was a little on the long side, so it reached just to her hips, but Edward had a pretty decent view regardless. He shifted on the bed, leaning back and resting his weight on his elbows behind him, making Bella smile. She stepped forward to him and reached at the top of his sweats.

She stopped and he caught her gaze. "You should take them off yourself; I don't want to hurt your ankle." He nodded and slipped them off as she stepped back to where she had been standing before. After his pants and boxers were off, he casually pulled off his t-shirt and threw it aside. He sat naked on the bed. Bella couldn't help but stare and be extremely grateful for what she had. Edward was gorgeous. She always felt plain in comparison, but he always tried to show her different, and she adored him for it.

"I think you're overdressed," he finally said, breaking into her thoughts as she got a little red and embarrassed for doing so. "Don't get all embarrassed. You are welcome to stare anytime."

"Cocky ass," she mocked him, even though she had been staring. She bunched up the hem of the shirt and pulled it over her head. Finally she reached behind her and undid the lace bra she was wearing. "Better?"

"Much." He reached out a hand even though he couldn't reach her. She stepped forward and met him at the edge of the bed.

"I think you need to lay down, Cullen." He used his hands and good leg to get himself settled at the top of the bed, and Bella crawled over to him. Sitting next to him she lightly skimmed her hands across his chest, making her way lower across his abdomen, but stopped before going any lower.

"Tease," he mocked her, but she could tell his voice was strained and he was not as calm as he tried to act. She bent her head down and her hair spilled to the side blocking his view, but he definitely felt her blow lightly on him, and at the same moment, put both her mouth and her hand over him. He groaned and bucked his hips a little, but it hurt to put any weight on his ankle.

Bella continued pumping and sucking him, and she really enjoyed that he couldn't see her doing so, because every once in a while she'd pump a little harder, or take more of him in her mouth and he had no clue she was going to until she already had.

"Fuck, Bella, if you don't stop now this is going to be over way too quick." She pulled her hair back and looked up at his distressed face, and she lifted her mouth off of him painfully slow. "Come here." He pulled her up closer to his face, and lifted one leg over him so that she was straddling him right at his neck.

He put both hands on her bottom and lightly pushed her forward so that she was right above his face. "Edward, you don't have to, this is so awkw..." Before she finished though, he flicked his tongue across her clit. Her hands went to the wall for support and her head fell forward looking down at his cocky grin.

"Want to finish that statement?" She just shook her head, and Edward laughed and continued. He kept licking and sucking on her clit, and then he brought one hand and quickly entered two fingers into her. Bella cried out loudly, but cut herself off, embarrassed. Edward chuckled a little and then he began to drive his fingers into her at the same pace that his tongue was teasing her clit.

He could tell when she was getting close and quickly switched his tongue and his fingers so that he was teasing and pinching her bud while his tongue was playing at her entrance.

When she finally came, Edward took both hands and held her hips steady as she was also trying to keep herself upright by holding the wall. After several seconds she pulled away from him and was at his side again.

She crawled downwards a little and straddled him just above his hips. His length was right up against her lower back and ass. "I don't want to hurt your ankle," she said honestly as she tried to figure out how to go about doing this.

He shook his head, "You won't." She nodded and lifted herself over him and lowered herself onto him slowly. Edward sucked in his breath and Bella instantly froze. He felt amazing, so she wasn't quite sure how she managed to stop, but she did.

"Did I hurt you? Oh my God, this was such a bad idea." She moved up a little, beginning to pull herself off of him, but he stopped her by holding her hips there.

"Bella, you didn't hurt me. It felt pretty fucking good, actually."

"Oh. But I'm still worried I'm going to injure you more."

"You aren't going to injure me, but if you don't start moving a little you might just kill me." He held her hips a little tighter. "Just follow my hands, and I'll set the rhythm so you won't worry about hurting me." She nodded and followed the pace his hands were setting.

They started out slow and Bella began to get close again. Edward was holding on as best he could, trying to let her orgasm again before he finished. As he felt her get closer again, he moved faster and soon she was riding him without his hands guiding her, forgetting that she was so worried about hurting him. If he was putting too much pressure on his ankle, he sure as hell couldn't tell.

Bella came and quickly afterward he spilled himself inside her; she collapsed onto his chest and let her hair spill over him as he slipped out of her. After a few seconds, Bella looked down at him again. "I didn't hurt..."

"No, you didn't hurt me." He lifted his head up and kissed her sweetly. "I'm fine. You worry too much."

"I just don't want to make it worse. You're already going to be out for maybe two months. I don't want to set back your recovery. You belong on the ice and I'd hate myself if I was the reason you couldn't be there."

"So really, it's all about you not wanting to hate yourself," he joked. She lightly hit him on his chest and she moved off of him to curl up next to his right side. "So much for not wanting to hurt me while I recover."

"Your chest is fine."

"Sure is. Damn fine," he joked. She smacked him again.

"You sound ridiculous when you talk like that. Please stop doing it."

"Fine," he replied and wrapped his arms around her.

Bella listened to Edward's breathing almost two hours later. He had fallen asleep fairly quickly, probably partially due to whatever meds he was on for his leg, but Bella couldn't seem to get to sleep.

She felt like something was wrong. They had just had amazing sex. That part was perfectly alright, but she couldn't help but remind herself that that sex was partially because they were both extremely upset and frustrated with each other. She knew that this was no way to solve a real problem, and this was a problem. He apologized about trying to force her to ignore her job, but it still didn't feel like everything was dealt with. She was pretty sure he apologized mainly because he didn't want them to keep fighting, and not because he actually agreed with her. It was something Bella wasn't really ready to face because the thoughts always came back to the situation they were going to be in when June came around.

Never had they spoken about what was going to happen when it was time for the articles to be finished. The logical situation would be that she would go home to Miami where her life was and take the job she had been working to get for years. Edward would stay here in Colorado. Even if he wanted to leave he couldn't, because he was under contract for several more seasons; not that he would want to leave his family or life here.

The thoughts were plaguing her and she was pretty sure that if they didn't at least try to figure something out, their relationship would begin to fall apart because they needed some kind of foundation. Could they handle a long distance relationship? Probably not, since they were pissed at each other after only a week apart; of course her job did leave some down time, and she could write an article from anywhere. It would just depend on what she was writing about.

The more she thought about it, the more she knew it would be doable to have a relationship afterward, if it was what they both wanted, but if they didn't begin talking about it soon, she'd never know if it was what Edward wanted. At the same time though, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to handle it if the truth he was that he couldn't do that type of relationship.

Bella decided she needed to push the thoughts out of her mind as much as possible. She had to go with Rosalie and Alice for a dress fitting the next day, as Rosalie's friend was still in New York. She snuggled closer to Edward and willed herself to fall asleep, hoping that everything would work out okay in the end. She wasn't quite ready to get her heart broken, or to ruin her first big chance as a writer. Or even worse, both.


	16. Chapter 15 - Planning

Hey everyone, again, sorry for teh delay (this seems to be a regular thing for me) but I promise this time I have a real excuse. I got myself really sick and ended up with a serious case of pneumonia and had to take a trip to emergency at midnight. After a week and a half in the hospital, and several more days at home watching endless movies on the couch, I feel much better, but have been badly neglecting keeping up with my stories. Here's chapter 15. Thanks again for reading guys.

Chapter 15 –

"Bella, sweetie you have to get up," Edward whispered into her ear the following morning. Bella opened her eyes to see Edward sitting next to her on the bed, fully dressed for the day.

"What time is it?" she asked groggily.

"Just after nine. Alice called and said she'd come get you at ten," he replied as she sat up and stretched out a bit.

"Do I have any clothes here?" she asked, hoping she didn't need to go downstairs.

"I think so." He went to his closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and two different tops. "You have some." He held them out and she nodded.

"Underwear?" Bella asked, a little embarrassed, even though she knew there was no reason to be.

"You just shouldn't wear any," he grinned.

"I'm trying on a dress in front of a bunch of women. I need underwear," she laughed.

"Well in that case, there is underwear for you, and socks." She nodded.

"I'm going to take a quick shower." She got up from the bed and he obviously watched her as she walked naked to the bathroom.

When Bella was just finishing brushing out her hair, Alice appeared at the door to Edward's apartment. She had a grin on her face. "How was your night?" She smiled at her cousin and Bella.

"Subtle, Alice. Really Subtle." Edward shook his head at her.

"There's no time for subtlety in life," Alice replied matter-of-factly. "Ready to go, Bella?"

"Yeah, just finishing up." She pulled on her coat as she made her way to the door, and then turned back to Edward. "Uh, I'll see you later tonight?"

"Call me after you guys are finished and we'll figure out what we'll do," he replied. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and then Alice grabbed Bella's wrist and the two were off at Alice's pace.. Alice drove and parked quickly in front of the dress shop, where they were meeting Rose and Esme.

The two walked in as the dressmaker was discussing the excitement of the wedding happening in a month and a half. Rosalie was glowing in her wedding gown, which was now almost perfectly fitted.

"Oh good, our maid of honor is here." An assistant put her arm on Alice's and then she looked at Bella. "And our bridesmaid, I assume."

"Oh, no I'm..." Bella started.

"Yes, this is Bella." Rosalie smiled at her.

"Wait, what?" Bella turned to Rosalie and eyed her.

"I'm not really giving you an option," she replied with a grin as a veil was being placed on her head to complete the look.

"But what about your friend from New York?" Bella looked back and from Esme, to Alice, and Rosalie, who were all smiling. Rosalie calmly asked the dressmaker to step out so they could speak in private. She smiled and she and her assistants were gone instantly.

Rosalie turned back to Bella. "Uh, we knew since August she wouldn't be able to come to the wedding because she's pregnant. She'll be ready to pop by that time. Since the dress was already going to be made, and you were close to her in size, as soon as we got to know you we knew you would be her replacement. Now that there have been new developments in the family situation, it just makes sense."

"But Rose, are you sure? We haven't known each other for that long, and I'm sure you have other friends you know better. Don't pick me just because of the situation."

"I'm picking you because we all adore you, Bella, and it makes sense. Besides, do I seem like the type of girl who has a ton of girlfriends?"

"Uh, probably not," Bella replied honestly, but couldn't look her in the eye when she said it.

"Yeah, growing up, I found girls to be annoying, and so I never really had a big group of girlfriends. Anyway, please go and try on the dress, OK?"

Bella just nodded and headed to the back.

It did fit beautifully and she really liked it. She came out and Alice hugged her. "So you're going to do it?" she asked with a huge grin.

"Do I really have a choice?" She suddenly realized how horrible that sounded. "I didn't mean it that way, I really am honored that you want me to, and the dress is amazing, but I can't promise you I won't fall going down the aisle or something."

"Edward will hold you up," Alice replied.

"Edward? But he's the best man. Why would he walk me down the aisle?"

"Well originally he was going to walk Alice down the aisle just for the ceremony, but I really don't care about the way it is supposed to be. Jasper and Alice and you and Edward will look great together walking down the aisle, so we will do it that way."

"That makes sense," Bella replied quietly feeling awkward about speaking about her and Edward in a public place, but the dressmakers had left the room again at Rosalie's request; you can always tell how high-class a place is by how the employees treat the customers., There was not was a single person in the store who was going to even look at the four of them the wrong way; which made Bella a little more uneasy just imagining how much the dress was going to cost them. Esme saw her discomfort and put her hand on her arm.

"Are you alright, Bella?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired. I don't know how you guys do the road trip thing all the time," Bella quickly replied. She didn't want to let them all know how she was feeling. She had so much on her mind, but she needed to figure it out herself.

"You get used to it," Esme replied smiling. "If it's too much, you can head home. The dress just needs a few more changes that they can measure quickly."

"Uh, that's fine, I can wait for a while. I think I'll go home afterward though, and skip lunch," Bella replied.

"That's fine. I was just going to bore everyone with details about the wedding anyway," Alice laughed.

"Alice, aren't we done planning yet? I thought almost everything was decided," Rosalie complained, but it was easy to tell that she was extremely excited about the entire process; she was only going to do this one time, so it was going to be perfect for her.

"It's your wedding, and there are still a million things to do in the next six weeks. Bella, you go home and relax, maybe practice a bit walking in heels. The shoes we're wearing are stilettos." She held up her blackberry which showed a picture of extremely high-heeled shoes.

"Well you people are probably going to kill me with those." Bella's eyes widened.

"You'll be fine! We can teach you some tricks." Alice waved it off like it was nothing, but Bella was pretty sure they had not completely comprehended her lack or balance and skill at basic walking in tennis shoes, not to mention heels.

"I don't think you can teach coordination. Good luck trying, though."

"Come on Bella. Amongst the three of us, do you really think there is anything we can't do?" That came from Esme, and the other three burst out laughing. It was completely true.

Bella fell asleep as soon as she got to her apartment. She hadn't realized how tired she really was. The week apart had tired her out. The constant flying around was not something she figured she'd really get used to, and it didn't help that she slept badly the whole week they were apart because she couldn't get him and their argument off of her mind. She spent half the night before awake in bed, so the nap was much needed. When she woke up again, she realized that it was almost time for dinner.

She walked to her kitchen and her phone told her she had four texts and a voice mail. One text was from Rosalie, and another from Alice, both inviting her to the same event the next day. The other two texts and the voice mail were from Edward wondering what they were doing that night.

She quickly texted both Rosalie and Alice and then called Edward.

"Hello?"

"Hey, sorry. I fell asleep almost the whole afternoon." She sat down on her couch and looked out at the city.

"Oh, yeah I figured you were busy. Did you get my texts?" Edward sounded almost distracted.

"Yeah, I didn't even think to keep my phone by the bed. Sorry. So do we have plans tonight?" On the last part she sounded extremely unsure. The two never had problems talking, but there was something about this last week that had thrown them off-kilter.

"Uh, well I wasn't sure if you were busy or not, so the guys from the team said they were going out for drinks, and I don't know, I've been apart from the guys all..."

"Edward it isn't a big deal. I'm tired anyway. I'll probably feel better tomorrow. I don't know how you deal with all the travel all the time." She paused. "Uh, I'm doing lunch with Alice and Rosalie tomorrow, but I was thinking maybe I'd make you dinner tomorrow night?"

Having specific plans seemed like a good idea. She didn't want to look like she'd ditched him again, even though she'd fallen sleep for a few hours.

"Sure. That sounds awesome. I've got physio until four. I'll change and then come over afterward, say about five?" His voice sounded happier. He seemed to feel the same relief that they were okay as well.

"Sure. Anything in particular you want me to make?"

"Uh, I don't know, maybe Italian?"

"Okay, I can do some kind of pasta."

"Alright, but don't tell me exactly what you're going to make. Surprise me."

"Okay, I'll keep my mouth shut," she replied. She was ready to round down the phone call when an interesting thought came to mind. "Hey, did you know what your cousin and Rosalie were planning behind my back?"

He laughed. "Uh, you mean the bridesmaid thing?"

"You did know!" she burst out. "I can't believe you didn't warn me! Way to not tell me important things that affect me!" she joked.

"Well when I found out, we were still keeping things about our relationship quiet, so I didn't want to give anything away by giving you information and them knowing where you got it."

"I still could have used a little warning. They just sprung it on me, and it is impossible to say no to all three of them at once."

"Well, that part is true, but we planned it that way. Also though, I'm pretty sure that's the pot calling the kettle black."

"What do you mean? How so?"

"I don't know, but I got an interesting call from Tanya today telling me she wasn't going to attend my cousin's wedding because of that pushy girlfriend of mine," he replied. She could tell he was grinning.

"Oh my god! The Tanya thing! I never told you. Shit! You got hurt and then we had the whole week apart. I guess I never got a chance to tell you!" Bella couldn't believe she had forgotten. The night with Tanya seemed like years ago. He deserved to know as soon as she did what she did. Tt was his life. "I'm so sorry, Edward it just..." she trailed off not knowing what else to say

"What did you do?" He didn't seem unhappy that she hadn't told him, but then again, he was free of Tanya.

"I'm a journalist Edward; I just did my job and offered her something better than you."

"There are things better than me? Name one."

"Shut up," she replied. "Anyway, you should go out and meet the guys. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

The two paused, and Bella could feel that he had something he wanted to say, so she stayed quiet. "Or, could I come to your apartment tonight? I don't mean we need to have sex or anything, but last week sort of sucked, and it's just better when..." he sounded like a lost little kid and Bella felt for him instantly. She would have said yes, even if he had asked as confidently as he ever was, but this side of Edward was new.

"Stop babbling! Come over afterward. I'll probably be asleep, but I've missed you too." She paused again. "Edward I'm sorry too. About everything. Some of the stuff I said was out of line, and I think we should talk about it when we get the chance to. I know right now is really rough for you because you're stuck on the side of the ice, and I want to be here for you as much as possible."

"We'll talk tomorrow okay?"

"Yeah, that sounds perfect."

She opened her mouth to say goodbye but he spoke first. "Bella, you mean a lot to me, and I want this thing between us to work out so much right now. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. I want the same thing. Goodbye."

"Bye, Bella." They both hung up and Bella smiled a little. Things seemed okay. They had a lot to work on of course, they both knew that, but they'd work on it together, starting the next evening.

That night Bella had fallen asleep before Edward came to her apartment, but woke up when he arrived.

"How was drinks with the guys?"

"Good, but I kept thinking about being here."

"I was waiting for you too. Then I fell asleep," she replied as he awkwardly got into bed next to her. She could tell he was really ready to get the cast off. It would only be a few more days until he could walk on his foot with no problems. He pulled her up close to him and they molded to each other. It felt extremely comfortable, but Bella tried very hard to stay awake as long as possible so that the feeling lasted longer. She could have sworn she heard Edward whisper something to her as she was falling asleep, something that sounded like I love you, but she wasn't completely sure if she had heard it or dreamt it, so she decided it was best to keep her mouth shut about it.

The following day at lunch Bella arrived at the table to find Rosalie sitting alone. "Where's Alice?"

"There was an emergency with one of her other weddings. She said she's sorry but she's going to need to skip lunch," Rosalie replied as she looked up and down the menu. Bella grabbed hers and did the same.

"Does it sound like everything will be alright?" Bella asked, worried.

"Yeah, apparently she's an extremely melodramatic bride and this is like the third or fourth time that she has done this to Alice. Thankfully her wedding it next Saturday and when it is out of the way Alice has no big weddings until after mine. Oh wow. That sounded kind of selfish, huh?" She grinned. "But I don't really care. I'm allowed to be selfish"

"Yes, you are," Bella laughed. The two ordered and then sat back with their drinks and talked, mostly about wedding stuff that Rosalie wanted in the articles, Bella wanted to make sure that nothing private was published.

They were soon interrupted though. "Hello ladies." The two turned and there stood Jasper.

"Hey Jasper, what are you doing here?" Rosalie asked.

"Uh, I figured Alice would have called and told you she needed to go and deal with something from the other wedding and that she was missing lunch." Jasper had a grin on his face and Rosalie tilted her head, wondering what was going on. Bella sat silently, but paid close attention.

"She actually did call me." Rosalie looked more confused. "The emergency was me. I got in touch with the other bride to ask her to stage something so that I could talk with you alone."

Bella snapped back to reality. "I'll run to the bathroom." She was already standing when Jasper waved for her to sit back down.

"No, it's fine. You're allowed to know. I meant that I needed to talk to Rosalie when I knew Alice wouldn't be around. I have something I need to ask." His attention was back on Rosalie.

"Am I working her too hard? I'll try to slow her down, but I can't make any promises," Rosalie offered quickly.

"Uh, that's not why I'm here, and when have we ever gotten her to slow down? Rosalie smiled and nodded.

I actually just wanted to see if you would approve of something." He seemed really nervous. Rosalie looked confused, but Bella was pretty sure she might know what was going on.

"I want to propose to Alice," he finally got it out. "I was thinking I'd do it at your reception, but I wanted to make sure that you wouldn't feel like I was taking the attention away from you. It is your day and if you'd rather I didn't do it at the wedding, I'd totally understand."

"Oh god no! Jasper, that's amazing! I'm so happy for the two of you! Of course you can do it at the reception. That would be so sweet. Take all the attention away from me! I don't care at all. Seeing Alice's face will be worth it." Rosalie got up and hugged Jasper.

Bella smiled but couldn't keep her mouth shut. "Uh, if you are going for the surprise route, I wouldn't suggest doing that," she said quietly. They both looked at her, trying to figure out what she meant.

"When we were talking on the flight the other day she mentioned that she suspected you'd do that. Propose at the wedding. Even though she sounded extremely excited to possibly be getting engaged, she'd be ready for it."

"She is always a step ahead of us, isn't she?" Jasper dropped into a chair, looking slightly annoyed.

"I have an idea though," Bella continued, "I think we should bring Esme Carlisle Edward and Emmett into it. We should try to drop hints here and there, and make it completely obvious that you are going to do it at the reception, and then you shouldn't."

"He shouldn't? What?" Rosalie exclaimed. People at the surrounding table looked up. "Sorry," She quickly added.

"You should do it the next morning. She'll never expect it," Bella finished. "Alice adores Christmas. She told me that she loves planning Christmas more than weddings, but it only comes once a year so she'd get bored the other eleven months. Wouldn't that be an amazing thing to get on Christmas morning?"

"Aww, you're totally right. Alice and Christmas are like made for each other," Rosalie smiled.

"The only thing is, it might be mean to let her expect it then not propose," Bella added.

"It's Alice we're talking about. She would never want to put herself in the spotlight at someone else's wedding. She'd brush it off like it was nothing. She might be disappointed initially, but in the end, it'll be worth it," Jasper replied quickly, which made Bella smile. "Bella, you're a genius. How did we survive without you for this long?"

"I was thinking the same thing about you guys," Bella replied. "I'm not sure how I didn't die of boredom before I came here and met you."

"Oh yeah, Miami must be a drag," Rosalie joked as their food arrived. Jasper declined their invitation to stay and, and left in a seemingly good mood.

Bella had been instructed to inform Edward of the plan that night. She was at her apartment making Alfredo sauce when Edward arrived after physio. He felt exhausted. The extra work to try to get his ankle better seemed so difficult and he knew he was going to be in a bad mood when they began to talk.

He still felt unsure about everything between them because they had so much that needed to be dealt with, but now he was worried about the night before. He'd had a few drinks with the guys, probably more than he should have considering the meds he was on, and as they were in bed together he let it slip out that he loved her.

He wasn't denying it to himself. He definitely did love her, but it had not been the correct time to say it. So judging by her reaction, maybe she wanted to ignore that he'd said it, since he was drunk, or she was not happy about it because she didn't feel the same, not to mention that they'd been fighting, or the other possibility was that she hadn't heard him because she had fallen asleep before he said it.

Bella was extremely good at hiding what was going on in her head. He had always been good at reading people, but Bella was a mystery still. He felt like either she didn't want to let him in, and he'd have to work extremely hard to do it, or he would never really be able to. He was hoping for the former.

"How was physio?" Bella asked as she gave him a light kiss on the cheek, tearing him from his thoughts. This seemed like a good sign. Angry people did not give kisses to those they were mad at.

"It was rough. My leg hurts like hell, but I'm really excited for dinner."

"Good, it's almost done. I'm making seafood Fettuccini Alfredo, iwth shrimp and some scallops."

"That sounds amazing. Want me to pour some wine?" he asked, stepping toward the counter where the corkscrew was sitting.

"Sure, I just haven't gotten to that yet," she replied while stirring the sauce.

Edward uncorked the wine and poured two glasses as she was finishing the food. She quickly got it served and the two sat down. Conversation came very easy. They talked with very little awkwardness for the entire meal, but they were also ignoring what they had already established needed to be discussed. Neither wanted to open the can of worms and change the happy laid back mood of the evening. It was light and similar to how things had been before they told the family about them.

Of course they did not blame their problems on that. Telling Edward's family had been a big weight off of both of their shoulders, but it just seemed that since then things had been a little rockier. For this evening though, they put those thought to the back of their minds. They'd figure it out; just not right then. They had silently mutually aged not to spoil the mood, and the two fell asleep comfortably with each other that night; the date had gone well in one sense, but they both knew that eventually things needed to be discussed. It was just a matter of how and when.


	17. Chapter 16 - Almost Time

Chapter 16 –

The next four weeks passed insanely fast for everyone. It was early December and the winter weather was in full swing – but even Bella had to admit she may have overestimated the horrors of it. Her earlier images of digging her car out of snow banks and several feet of snow on every sidewalk blocking her path, were far from the truth. It was cold, that was true, but apparently winter cities actually were decent at handling the problems associated with the snow. Sidewalks were cleared before she was even up in the morning, and the underground parking and heated seats didn't hurt too much either. In general, Bella had managed to settle into the winter lifestyle. Even if she hadn't been able to, there wouldn't have been any time to dwell on it.

The Avalanche were in a slight rut on the ice; the team had expected it since Edward's injury; they hadn't had a major losing streak, but they couldn't seem to win any division games and they had slipped out of the top eight in the west. It was, of course, still early enough in the season that no one was too worried. They all expected to get back on track once Edward was well enough to play again.

Edward's physio was beginning to make a difference and his ankle was getting stronger and hurting less, but he was nowhere near ready to get back on the ice. It would still be a few more weeks. This was by far the biggest strain on both of them. He was feeling better and still he couldn't do much of anything.

He could walk on it carefully now, with it bandaged tightly, but he was feeling slightly caged in. Of course there was also the nagging issue the two were still avoiding. They never managed to have a real conversation regarding their relationship. What it was, and what it would be, not to mention what happened on the road trip. They simply ignored the elephant in the room, so the two often felt extremely tense around one another.

On a more positive note, the wedding was extremely close and everyone was very excited about it. Rosalie was glowing, and Alice was in her element. The two miracle workers had even gotten Bella into the dreaded heels. Also, the proposal plan was going perfect. Alice was completely sure that she was getting a proposal at her brother's reception. It was falling into place perfectly.

It was two weeks to the day until the wedding and Bella had just done all the finishing touches to the final article of the year. It had been very difficult to write because it was all about Edward's injury.

Jasper had asked her to get Alice's ring size, and to do this she needed to tear Alice away from wedding-related stuff for one afternoon. How to accomplish this? Of course. Offer shopping as an alternative.

Bella had mentioned that she wanted some new scarves to accessorize her favorite winter coat; it was black wool and cashmere, and she knew she would miss wearing it when she returned home to the warmer climate. Alice had jumped at the opportunity to accessorize Bella. The plan was perfect.

Apparently Alice didn't wear rings on either of her ring fingers, so Bella was instructed to go to the jewelry counter, which was located conveniently next to the scarves and accessories, and have her try on rings to find out the size.

Alice was holding out two red scarves that looked identical to Bella, when she glanced over at the counter and pointed to a pair of earrings. Alice came over quickly and they looked around at the jewelry. The salesgirl showed them several items before Bella pointed randomly to a ring.

"Wow! That's gorgeous Bella," Alice said, looking at it more closely.

"Yeah, but it won't fit. You have smaller hands. Why don't you try it on?" She handed it to Alice who slipped it on her left middle finger.

"A little small," she replied and went to take it off.

"I bet it'll fit your ring finger," Bella said bluntly.

"Uh, yeah, this ring is what, a five?" she asked the salesgirl.

"Yes," the girl replied happily.

"That's what I wear on my ring finger - or I will at least," Alice winked, handing the ring back, and Bella laughed, playing it off. . They thanked the salesgirl, who was a little upset they didn't actually purchase anything, and went back to the scarves, buying three of them. As they were paying, Alice decided last minute to buy a pair of earrings; Bella was pretty sure she only did it to help the girl behind the counter who obviously worked on commission.

When the two went their separate ways at the apartments, Bella quickly texted Jasper the ring size and then headed to the elevator. After she got to her apartment she cooked a quick dinner for her and Edward. There was an Avalanche home game that night and they were watching from home since Edward didn't really want to be anywhere near the rink at the current time and all those around him were willing to give him space.

The two watched the game curled up on the couch, sharing a blanket. Bella could feel how tense he was before it even started. He would never get used to being off the ice. It ate at him. The away team managed to score two goals in the first period, and that's when Edward became livid and started swearing under his breath. She felt bad for him. She knew how powerless he felt.

After the second period what the score was 4 – 1. Bella said she was tired and headed to her room. Edward didn't even acknowledge that it was only 9:30 and too early to go to bed. It wasn't that she was bored of hockey, in fact now that she was now familiar enough with the game and the rules that she could sit down and enjoy it, but she didn't know how to deal with Edward when he was in this state. It seemed there was almost nothing she could do to calm him. It felt like he was only ever in a good mood during sex, but right afterward they'd either go right to sleep, and more often than not, they'd go to their separate beds. It was rough.

Bella had fallen asleep on top of the covers of her bed and she woke up to Edward telling her the game had ended and he was going home.

Night, Bella," he said quietly.

"Why don't you stay?" she asked groggily. "You never stay here anymore." She was vaguely aware that she was opening the can of worms they'd kept carefully closed for so long.

"Uh, I could," he quickly replied and stepped into the room.

Bella was wide awake now. "Only stay if you want to," she said clearly. He stopped. "I don't want you to stay just because you feel like you should. If you'd rather go upstairs to your room and sleep, go right ahead."

"So you want me to stay, but only if I want to?"

"Yes."

"Okay, then I'll stay." He made his way over to the bed and pulled his sweater off. He got in and got under the covers and Bella joined him. He pulled her close and took a deep breath.

"Listen, I think I need to explain something. I don't do well when things are going bad on the ice, especially when I have no control over fixing it. I can't separate myself from hockey. If the hockey sucks, then everything generally sucks, and I know that's not fair to you, but..."

"Edward, I would never want you to separate yourself from hockey. It's such a big part of your life, and it's not like things will be like this all the time. There will be good times and bad times, and I understand that."

"Yeah, I know, but usually it's just me who has to deal with this, and now I drag you into it too. I don't usually have girlfriends, and..."

"Are you saying you don't want us to date anymore?"

"No, that's not it. Not at all. I just don't really know how to fit a girlfriend into my life," he paused, "and that sounds like another breakup speech, but that's not what I'm trying to do. I don't know how, but I want to figure it out if you do." Bella curled up closer and kissed him in answer to his question.

"Goodnight Bella."

"Goodnight."

The next morning Rosalie gave Bella a call and picked her up a half hour later.

"Where is Alice dragging us today?" Bella asked as she jumped into Rosalie's car.

"Nowhere. Jasper is dragging us ring shopping," she replied. "Apparently he's been at a ring store for an hour and is ready to pull his hair out. I told him that would be a tragedy and we'd be right down."

"Shouldn't he know what she'd like?"

"He does. I'm sure he's just second guessing himself. Guys do that, Alice was with Emmett when he bought mine, and they did a good job." She went around a corner extremely fast as she waved her ring in front of Bella, but she barely noticed it, because she was too concentrated on gripping the armrest. Bella but just nodded slightly.

When they reached the jewelry store Jasper was outside pacing. "Good! You're here."

"Barely," Bella muttered.

Rosalie just laughed. "You would think you'd be used to the way we drive by now."

"You'd think."

Jasper led the two inside and back to a salesperson who seemed slightly worn out. "Which ones were you looking at?" Rosalie asked quickly.

The salesperson brought out five rings. "I think he had it narrowed down to these." Jasper merely nodded.

"Not the one on the end. It's not Alice at all," Rosalie said as she quickly waved one off. It was back under the counter immediately. Bella bit her lip while she looked at the selection.

"What do you think, Bella?" Jasper asked.

"They're all gorgeous," she replied. "Uh, that one there," she said, pointing to one. "It's amazing, perfect almost, but I can't see Alice wearing it. I think one of the three stone rings would suit her."

"Not a classic solitaire, hmm..." Rosalie was thinking out loud. "I think she's right." She turned to Jasper. "Pick between these two." She pointed at the two three stone rings.

"I think she'd like the pear shaped diamond." Jasper pointed to the one on the left looking to the two of them for clarification. His face was uncertain. He obviously had liked that particular ring the most, but needed their validation first.

"You are a mess, Jasper!" Rosalie laughed. "No wonder the team is losing. Their goalie's brain has turned to mush. Calm down. You're right. Did you get the ring size yet?"

"Yeah, Bella got it yesterday. She's very good at being sneaky."

"Well, we all knew that already," Rosalie smirked and I blushed.

"So have we made a decision?" The salesman asked hopefully but also cautiously at Jasper.

"Yes, this one," he said as he handed it to the salesman and asked to get it sized.. The guy let out a deep breath, obviously extremely relieved.

Jasper was treating them to coffee. "He must have been relieved to see me go. I had him going through every engagement ring they had for almost two hours."

"Relieved? That guy just made a huge commission off of you. He should be bouncing off the walls that he happened to be the one to get you this morning." They had reached the coffee shop and Jasper held the door for them.

Jasper sighed. "Probably, and thanks again, Rose, for coming out here. I know I've been pulling you away from your own wedding planning, both of you really, so if I'm becoming too much of a bother, then just tell me."

"Are you kidding? It's a refreshing break to talk about something other than my wedding. Everything is practically finalized and ready for the big day, but still it's all that I ever seem to talk about. The only thing I'm dreading about all this is that in very soon Alice is going to be planning her own wedding!"

"Yeah, I've come up with a plan, though. She just needs to tell me where and when I need to be there, and she can do everything else," Jasper laughed.

"You don't have to worry. Bella and I will be a part of the entire thing. You and the guys can just sit back and relax. The hard part for you is over. We should have left you to ring shop by yourself," she said, and they all laughed.

"Well I still have to ask her; and that will be hard," he fought back.

"Yeah, right. It's not like you're worried she's going to say no. You could write her a note in crayon and you'd still get a yes. That part is not hard." Bella laughed.

"But we want it to be perfect, so we put a lot of thought into it."

"Yeah yeah yeah. Whatever." They got their drinks and had a short coffee before heading back. Bella and Rosalie quickly hugged Jasper goodbye and got into Rose's car.

"So the princess cut diamond solitaire was 'amazing? Perfect, almost' is what I believe you said," Rosalie said with a grin.

"What are you talking about?" Bella looked at her like she had three heads.

"You said the diamond solitaire one was almost perfect, and amazing. Is that your dream ring?"

"I've never really thought about it." She looked out the window to avoid eye contact.

"Liar. Everyone has a specific taste in diamonds. I'll have to keep that in mind just in case there will be another proposal sometime soon."

"You'll have a long wait. We've only been together for less than three months, and besides, there are a ton of things that would need to be sorted out before we even ever got to that point. I write for a magazine based in Miami, and he's a pro hockey player in Denver, and who knows where he might get transferred or traded or whatever it's called. It would be really hard to start a job, then changing cities to whenever he was traded. I know it's possible to write from anywhere, but depending on who I was writing for, they might prefer I was in the same city. On top of all that, we can't even have one little fight without our entire relationship changing drastically..."

She stopped, realizing she had just voiced all of her biggest concerns about the future to Rosalie.

"But you know; we aren't really at that point yet," she added weakly, and then stared out the window, not daring to look at Rosalie's face..

They arrived back at Bella's apartment building and she got out of the car, mumbling a quick goodbye, and headed for the door.

"Bella!" Rosalie had rolled down her window and called to her. "Listen, talk to Edward. Chances are he feels the same way you do."

Rosalie arrived home to find her fiancé watching TV.

"Find a ring?" he asked, not looking away.

"Yeah, she'll love it." She sat down next to him and he tucked her under his arm.

"What's wrong?" He could tell something was up.

"Uh, nothing is really 'wrong', but have you talked to Edward lately? I get the feeling something is up with him and Bella. She seemed really lost and confused about their relationship. Maybe I was reading the situation wrong, but she got completely tense and awkward when I brought up, even jokingly, the idea of what kind of ring she would want. She just looked out the window and started rambling about all the reasons they shouldn't be together."."

"I'll bet it's Edward. It'll just blow over. You know what he's like when he's injured. Last season he was out for three weeks and after two days he was unbearable to be near. He drove us all insane, and I was ready to run him over with the Zamboni. This time he's probably taking a lot of that out on her and if he is, then she's probably having a hard time dealing." He made the entire speech without taking his eyes off the TV.

"Sometimes I wonder where you come up with stuff that sounds so logical," Rosalie replied.

"Face it; you're marrying a smart guy." They were both silent for a few minutes. "You want me to talk to him?"

"That couldn't hurt anything." She grinned and snuggled closer to him.

"Might hurt me," he pouted.

"I'll make it worth your while." Emmett jumped up quickly, and Rosalie fell sideways on the couch. "What was that?"

"I'm calling Edward right now." Emmett picked up his phone and dialed as he watched his fiancé shake her head at him.

"So, why did you want to meet for drinks?" Edward asked immediately.

They had met up at "After Hours".

"Hello to you too, cuz," then shrugged, "It's a Rosalie thing.""

"She lock you out?"

"No, then I would have showed up at your apartment," he retorted quickly. They ordered and then turned back to one another.

"She wanted me to make sure everything was okay."

"The leg's getting better..."

"That's not what I meant. She was with Bella today, and apparently Bella wasn't exactly herself, and said some stuff about you guys and the future and Rosalie is worried."

"So now you're going to play Dr. Phil?" Emmett eyed him, making it clear that this was serious. "Bella and I are fine."

"Listen, we all know what you're like when you're injured, and you haven't been around us much lately since it happened. No one wants to see you take everything out on Bella. We like the girl, remember?"

"Well in case you didn't notice, Emmett, I like the girl too, and I just don't think it's any of your business what goes on in my relationship. Not everyone needs to have the perfect relationship like the two of you seem to think you have. Maybe since you're getting married in two weeks you should focus on your own relationship instead fucking around with mine."

Edward stood up just as the drinks were being served. He threw down ten dollars. "I think I'm going to head home to my dysfunctional relationship if you don't mind."

"Edward," Emmett called to him as he made his way to the door, dropped money on the table, and then hurried after him. He caught up pretty quickly as Edward still did not have 100% use of his ankle.

"Go home, Emmett," Edward called over his shoulder not even glancing at the bigger man.

"Fine, be like that Edward, , but I just want you to know that we're related, and when you treat me, or anyone else in the family like shit, we put up with it because it's our job to be there for you. Bella isn't family and if you do to her what you've done to the rest of us when you're hurt or unhappy, she doesn't have to stay and love you. She can leave."

Edward stopped and for a second. Emmett thought he might have hit the spot, but Edward surprised him.

"If she wanted to leave, she'd fucking leave." With that, he walked away.

"That went fucking awesome," Emmett mumbled under his breath then headed for his car.

It was Christmas Eve and Rosalie's wedding day. Bella was up early and headed over to the hotel. The men were going to be getting ready at Carlisle and Esme's, since they had a much smaller chance of wardrobe issues from any sort of traveling.

She gave Edward a quick kiss as he got out of the shower and she was heading out the door. He was tense, and had been for the last two weeks. She thought at first it had just been injury-related, but he was almost completely healed. In fact, he was able to skate a bit now and they were expecting him to return to practice as of the 29th. So she decided it was something else that was bothering him, but he tried to hide it from her, obviously not ready to discuss it, so she didn't push. The rehearsal dinner the night before gave her a pretty big clue as to what it might be.

Edward was extremely tense when the two walked in. He hugged Rosalie and barely acknowledged Emmett. She and Rosalie had exchanged glances, but neither really knew what was going on. When the dinner was in full swing and everyone was toasting the couple, Edward made a lame excuse that he was saving his for the following day. Alice had jumped up quickly and made her toast to try and lessen the awkwardness of the moment, but there was an obvious tension between Edward and Emmett.

This morning though, he seemed happier and ready to be the perfect best man. Regardless of the fight between the two, he still knew that the wedding day needed to be perfect.

"I'll see you in a few hours," he said as she made her way to the door. "You're going to be more dressed up than I've ever seen you."

"Yeah, but you're going to have to hold me up in those heels."

"I'm the injured one," he replied, pouting like a child

"Then maybe you should stay far away from me, as I'm likely to injure you far worse with stilettos on."

"Yeah right, like I could stay away from you when you're in stilettos. You'll look hot in them." He pulled her into him even though he was still a little wet from the shower. She didn't complain.

"Yeah until I face plant into something and get a broken nose and lose some teeth."

"I only hurt my ankle. I think I can keep you upright for one day."

"We'll see." They both laughed.

"Okay I really need to go. I'm sure Alice will be calling me any second, wondering where I am." As if on cue her phone beeped. She held up the text message to Edward.

It read:

You need to be here...five minutes ago – A

"Bye. Tell my cousin to calm down."

"Maybe I'll just tell her that you're even less ready than I am and then she'll bug you." She hurried out the door before he could reply

There was a lot of traffic on the way to the hotel, but Bella thought she got there in a reasonable amount of time. "I'm here, I'm here!" she called as she made her way into the suite.

"Finally. Okay, hair over there. Go!" Alice pushed her into another room where Rosalie was just getting her hair finished. Esme was with a second hairdresser, and there was a makeup artist was standing by.

"Rose's hair is done?" Alice asked the stylist.

"Yes, all finished she looks lovely doesn't..."

"Yes, yes phenomenal. Now makeup, Rosalie. We need bridal party pictures in an hour and a half."

Bella was put in the chair that Rosalie just vacated. She turned to Esme.

"Are you aware your daughter has become a drill sergeant?"

"I'd heard stories, but never quite experienced it at this level before," she replied back.

"But it will go perfectly."

"It always does, Bella," Alice called from across the room. "Now sit still."

"This is going to be a long day," Rosalie called from the other room.

"Less talk, more makeup," Alice yelled back.


	18. Chapter 17 - Wedding Day

Chapter 17 –

Edward arrived at his family's home and met Carlisle at the door.

"Good Morning. Has Alice been on your ass all morning?" Edward asked.

"Yes, but she's very efficient, and she'll make this day run perfectly for your cousin and Rosalie."

"Yes she will, or she'll never let herself live it down." Edward laughed.

"Listen, have you and Emmett talked things out? We all saw how yesterday went and it's obvious there's some drama there, and I do not want you ruining anything for Rosalie today."

"That was my first order of business this morning. Where is he?"

"In the bedroom next to the master suite," Carlisle replied.

Edward hurried upstairs and entered the room. Emmett stood by the window in his tux pants, his shirt half-on.

"Hey," Edward said awkwardly.

"Edward, I don't want to get into this again, not today especially..."

"Emmett I found the – oh. I'll come back." Jasper came into and left the room quickly.

"I don't want to get into it either, Emmett. I wanted to apologize. Everything that you said was pretty much true, and Bella and I had talked about it the night before. I knew it was true, but sometimes it's just harder hearing it from someone else. You had the right intentions, and I'm sure you never would have even brought it up if it wasn't for Rose. And all the stuff I said about your relationship, I didn't mean it. You do have a perfect relationship."

"Thanks." Emmett paused. "Uh, can we end all the sentimental stuff now? I'm sure there will be enough of it all day and I have to listen to you do a sappy speech later."

"Works for me."

"Good, now go get your tux on. If we're not at that hotel on time, Alice will have a fit. She's called me six times already."

"Six? I thought I had it bad. She only called me four times, but I guess you are a little more important today."

"Well yeah, but if you make me late then you are going to get all the wrath of Alice, so get dressed. Jasper!" he called toward the door. "You found the tie?"

"Yep. You guys done with your chat?"

"Yeah, you're safe," Edward laughed as he walked to the room next door to get his tux.

When he was dressed, he came back into the room. Emmett stood by the bed, two gifts sitting on top of it.

"So Rosalie and I got you guys some groomsmen gifts. Apparently this is something we're supposed to do. She picked them out, but here." He handed one to Edward and one to Jasper.

Inside the box was a nice dark blue terrycloth robes with their first initials embroidered on the pocket, and a smaller leather box containing silver cufflinks, also personalized.

"Like I said, Rosalie picked them out."

"Don't worry. Neither of us would have expected gifts like this from you."

"I know, but she didn't think a bottle of alcohol was an appropriate gift. She mentioned that she'd like you to wear the cufflinks."

"Of course we will," Jasper said as he took his cufflinks off and put on the new ones. Edward did the same with a smile.

"Bella, you look amazing!" Rosalie said as she stood in the doorway. Bella had just gotten into her dress after a significant amount of time getting pampered.

"Today is not about me," she said as she turned around. "Oh Rosalie you look amazing! That dress! I've seen it on you a bunch of times in fittings, but this is a million times better."

"I know, right!" Alice exclaimed. She hurried into the doorway next to Rosalie. "Oh my God, Bella! You should dress up more often. Rose is right, you look amazing. Edward is going to die! But you tell my cousin, if he tries to do anything that would result in you getting at all disheveled, I'll kill him before the end of the night."

"Disheveled?" She paused as realization dawned on her face. "Oh. Yeah, don't worry about that."

"Haha, I don't know about that. In that dress, he might not be able to resist." Rosalie laughed.

"Okay, enough about that. I have my bridesmaid's gifts." She grabbed two gift bags. Inside were white terrycloth robes with their initials embroidered in blue on the pocket. There was also a small box inside with white gold necklaces, also with their first initials on the charm that dangled from them. Next to the letter was a small diamond.

"Oh Rose, they are beautiful! I can't believe you kept this from me." Alice eyed her future sister-in-law.

"Well I wasn't going to tell you about your own gift. It was really hard to find time to get them without you around. Anyway, I want you two to wear them; I made sure they went with the other wedding jewelry. I have the same one."

"Thank you so much Rosalie, they're gorgeous," Bella added and gave her a hug.

Alice's phone rang, and she hurried to answer it. "The boys are here. Yay! Now we need to do pictures, and then it's ceremony time."

"Here we go," Rosalie joked. "There are moments I wish that I'd run to Vegas and eloped."

Alice put her hand on her hip. "That's bull, Rose, and you know it. Now let's go. Chop Chop! I love having a bride I can really order around. Usually I have to be very polite; this is more fun."

The girls headed downstairs and the photographer met them to first do group shots, then some of Rosalie alone. . Then Rosalie's parents arrived, and some pictures of them were taken too.

"Alright, time to go to the hall." Alice ushered them out and they got ready at the entrance. Jasper and Edward were there to walk Alice and Bella down the aisle.

When Edward turned around she could see the look that crossed his face. It began the same as when Alice and Rosalie first saw her; but soon she could see his eyes darken, and instantly she blushed, knowing that Alice and Rosalie were probably right about their earlier comments.

"You look...wow. Bella, that dress," he leaned in closer, "I cannot wait to get you out of that."

"Alice told me to tell you she'd kill you if you tried anything before the end of the night?"

"What if I'm really really careful?"

"Not a chance, Edward." Alice appeared next to them. "Line up, and remember; I'm watching you. Her dress stays on."

The last part was said as there was a lull in the conversation and everyone heard it. Bella went beet red. "Oops."She looked over at Bella. "Oh Bella you blush way too easy," she added

The music began. Alice knelt down next to the little flower girl and ring bearer who where the twins of Rosalie's cousin. They both smiled and nodded happily up to her and turned to go through the door. They went down the aisle and then it was Bella and Edward's turn. Edward felt Bella tense next to him.

"Calm down."

"I don't like being watched by a room full of people, especially in shoes that I barely can stand in, let alone walk. I've tripped four times already."

He kissed her forehead. "I'll keep you upright. Trust me." He held out his elbow and they linked arms.

They began walking and Bella felt surprisingly comfortable. He was confident in a crowd, and she felt his confidence rub off on her. She almost tripped once, but Edward held her firm and no one even seemed to notice it. When they got to the end of the aisle, Edward lightly squeezed her hand and smiled at her as they went to stand on opposite sides of the altar.

Alice and Jasper came down next, and finally Rosalie and her dad. Emmett's face lit up when he saw Rosalie, and the look he gave her made Bella want to turn away because it felt so personal, like it wasn't meant for anyone else to see. Rosalie was glowing, and if it was possible, she looked even more beautiful than Bella had ever seen her.

It felt like the ceremony flew by, and Bella was surprised that they were already at the kiss. Soon they were leaving the hall and were hurried over for more photographs.

Rosalie wanted photographs of just the other members of the wedding party. Bella and Edward were put together for a picture and it made Bella realize that they really didn't have any photos of just the two of them together, as opposed to a group shot.. Alice instructed Edward to wrap his arms around Bella, which felt awkward in front of the entire room full of people.

"You guys look adorable together." Alice smiled and put her arm under Jasper's.

"How about the bride and the groom's families?" he offered.

"Of course!" Alice said as she grabbed Jasper, even though he protested that he wasn't really family, but the they just waved him over. Bella stepped back.

"Bella, what are you doing? Get in the picture."

"I'm not really family, and it just wouldn't feel right. You guys look great as a group. I'll make sure to get a copy for the article."

"Bella," Rosalie said evenly, "This is my wedding and I want you in this picture. I don't think you're even allowed to say no to me today."

Bella still felt awkward that it was Alice and Rosalie wanting her to join the picture, and Edward hadn't said anything. She knew that really it wasn't his place to ask because it was Rosalie and Emmett's wedding, but it felt weird that she would be placed in the family picture when she and Edward were only at the early stages of dating.

"Alright," Bella finally agreed and stepped over, Alice placed her next to Edward and he wrapped his arm around her again, and squeezed her lightly to try and reassure her.

After what seemed like forever, the pictures were finished and the group had an hour before they needed to get down to the ballroom for the reception. The suites they were in were gorgeous. Just the few hours that they were spending in them were worth the cost. They had decided that because it was Christmas, they'd spend the night at Carlisle and Esme's home so that they could do a family Christmas morning.

Edward and Bella walked into the suite. The white bathrobes were hanging up.

"Bridesmaid's gifts?" He nodded towards them.

"Yes. How'd you know?" Bella asked. "You didn't help pick them out did you?"

"God no. Jasper and I got the same thing, only ours were blue with white letters and we got cufflinks" He showed them to he. "And I'm guessing you got that necklace?"

"Yeah, I'm surprised you noticed."

"You, my cousin and Rose are all wearing the same necklace? It's kind of hard not to notice."

"Yeah. Fair enough." She sat down on the chair next to the bed and Edward sat on the edge of the bed. "So, did you and Emmett talk? You don't seem so tense around each other."

"Yeah, we sorted it out." Edward took a deep breath. It didn't seem like the right time to bring it up, but he wasn't sure there would really ever be a good time. "So, do you think we should talk about stuff? You know, everything we haven't been talking about for the last month?"

"Now? It's Rosalie and Emmett's wedding day. This conversation might not end the way either of us want it to," Bella said very slowly, because already they were in unknown territory.

He took another deep breath. "I know, but I feel like if we don't talk about it now, we'll just let it go for another month and then another and another and then you'll be gone without us dealing with anything that needs to be dealt with. Bella, I think about this all the time and I am so terrified of you going away without us figuring everything out. I understand that your job requires you to go back to Miami, and if that is what you do after everything is finished, I don't want there to be any 'what if's' or any regrets. I want to know that we discussed everything before any decisions were made, and I think that doing it now is perfect because we have time to figure things out."

He leaned forward and covered his face with his hands. "I don't want us to make all the decisions now, because that is unreasonable, but I just want to get the issues out there." Finally he looked at Bella and she looked pale and as confused as he felt.

"I get that. I really do, and I want to talk about it, but I'm scared Edward, because for the first time since I can remember I'm thinking about giving up my dream job and starting over somewhere else. That might be too much to deal with right now, because every time that thought crosses my mind, part of me mentally slaps myself because I'm not the kind of girl who gives up her dream for a guy, but when the other half of me keeps screaming that if you are the guy for me, then I can't give you up either. It's like the next six months are we're in our perfect little world because we don't have to worry about living apart, but I can't ever forget that the next six months are going to fly by. The last four sure have."

She began to tear up. "It's extremely frustrating. For the last month I've been trying to keep as busy as possible to get my mind on anything but the next six months because when I think about it, all I do is freak out." She knew she was crying, and she hoped the waterproof mascara was working, because she could just imagine the nice raccoon eyes she'd have otherwise.

"Aw, Bella, don't cry. If what we want after everything is to be together, we will be. We might have to play the long-distance thing for awhile, but maybe after my contract is over, I'll get transferred to somewhere closer to you. Sunrise Florida is not that far from Miami and that's where the Panthers are based out of. It's only about a forty-five minute drive. We can find a way to have what we both want." He was right in front of her now, on his knees, in a tailor-made tux.

"But that isn't what you want, Edward. Remember back in August at your family barbeque? You told me that you hate being away from your family. You talked about how hard it was to live away from them and there was a very slim chance that you and Emmett would both move to Florida, and an even smaller chance that Carlisle and Jasper would also be transferred there. I don't want to be the reason you and your family split up."

She was still crying and wiped the tears from under her eyes.

"Bella, that comes with the job. It was a stroke of luck that we all ended up together. When our contracts are done, there is a high probability that we will all move to other places, but we will always be a close family; we'll see each other as much as we can. That's pro sports. It comes with the territory. We're all prepared for it, and we've done it before. This time it'll be even easier Last time, it was unfamiliar territory. We were still in high school. We played as juniors; now we're a lot older and much more seasoned. Besides, we don't even know where this relationship is going. I hope this doesn't happen, but maybe in six months we'll realize we don't belong together. Regardless, if we do want to stay together, we will make it happen."

He put both her hands between his. "Don't cry, Bella. It'll be okay."

"Yeah," she said slowly. She pulled her hands away from his and reached up to her face. "I'm going to need to clean up. I probably look like a mess." She wiped under her eyes again.

"Don't. You're just going to make it worse." He lightly grabbed her wrists. "Besides, what's the big deal? Pictures are done." They both laughed.

"Do you know your cousin?" Bella joked, thinking of how Alice was going to freak.

As if on cue, there was a knock on the adjoining door and a dark head poked in. "Are you guys ready to head down for the...Ah...Edward, what did you do to her?" Alice stormed in and Edward backed off.

"He didn't do anything. We were just talking and I'm a head case," Bella replied quickly.

"Well I know he wouldn't hurt you or anything, but my lovely cousin should not be making you cry after having your makeup professionally done." She eyed Edward and Bella felt bad for him. She never wanted to be on the receiving end of an Alice glare. "Come come, I'll touch up the makeup and then we'll go downstairs. Rosalie and Emmett are going to arrive downstairs in a half-hour. We should mingle before they arrive. Edward, you stay here."

With that, Bella was whisked away and didn't see Edward again until they all met on their way down to the banquet. The room was amazing. It was as gorgeous as any room Rosalie had ever designed, but everything also looked perfectly placed for the wedding. The room was distinctly Rosalie, but it definitely screamed Alice at the same time; it was perfect.

As soon as they got into the hall, there was a crowd of people wanting to speak to the Cullens. Bella spoke to a few members of the Avalanche and their wives, but they were the only people she knew. After greeting them, she stepped to the side a little and watched the evening begin to unfold.

For the first time she felt a little out of place. She had already heard many people inquire who she was. Some of them had a basic idea but no one really spoke directly to her. She watched as Alice jumped around to each group, playing the role of happy Maid of Honor, while also making sure everything ran smoothly as wedding planner. Edward and Carlisle were talking to a group of men. Bella was almost positive they were discussing hockey. Esme was sitting with a group of ladies, deep in discussion.

"Feel a little weird?" It was Jasper. He had appeared next to her.

"A little like I don't fit in here, but I guess that makes sense; the Cullens are a very well-known family and I'm sure they have a great number of important friends from the years they've travelled," Bella replied.

"It's a little overwhelming at first, but you get used to it. I tend to wait until Alice has made her rounds. Then she comes back to my side and I feel much more comfortable."

"It's probably a lot easier when you are openly dating someone. Edward has to keep his distance because no one knows we're together." Bella paused, then added quickly, "I don't mean that the way it came out. It's just hard sometimes not to be openly dating, but I get why we aren't. It makes more sense to keep it quiet for now. My job would become a lot harder if it was common knowledge."

"Alice and I kept things quiet for awhile too. It wasn't easy, but it worked out, and it will for you and Edward too. For now though, we can hang out on the side of the action together. I don't even know a lot of the hockey people here. None of them are from where I played, It wouldn't matter even if I did.. I couldn't run around and greet everyone like Alice does."

"I don't think anyone can go on Alice speed." She looked up at him. Everything ready for tomorrow?" Bella asked, making sure Alice was on the other side of the room.

"Yeah, but I've gotta l warn you, Alice gets up early Christmas morning and I'm going to do it first thing, so expect to be awakened early; possibly with a scream."

"If it means Alice is as happy as she deserves to be, then I'd gladly be woken up like that," she said with a smile.

"I'm glad."

Carlisle approached the two. "How's is it going over here in the corner?" he asked with a smile.

"It's fine. We're keeping each other company," Jasper replied.

"Well, I just heard from Alice that Rose and Emmett will be down here soon, so I'm going to go to the podium to introduce them. You should get near the entrance to greet the new couple."

"Of course. Thanks Carlisle," Jasper replied and he and Bella went closer to the door. Alice came over and joined them and Edward followed soon after.

"Attention, everyone!" Carlisle got the attention of the room. "May I present for the first time as husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Cullen!"

The crowd cheered and the two entered the room. Rosalie smiled and gave Bella a hug and kissed Jasper's cheek before greeting others around the room.

Soon after they were sitting down at the head table and they were able to go and get their food. The rest of the tables were called in random order that Carlisle drew out of a bag. Bella was one of the last in line. Two women, one older, and one younger, probably her daughter, seemed to be unaccustomed to whispering quietly.

"I don't quite understand why she's a bridesmaid. She's some reporter doing a story on the family."

"I know. Rosalie should have picked someone else, an older friend or family member. There were no members of her family in the wedding party. Besides, by the looks of Rosalie and Alice Cullen, you'd think that they'd want someone a bit less plain than that girl. I mean, she's not ugly, but she looks like a daisy in a bouquet of Roses. I have no idea why she didn't ask you to be the other bridesmaid."

Bella could not look behind her. She did not want the two women to see her face. For the first time in months, she felt like she did not belong there in Denver. Rosalie was right in front of her, and had obviously heard the conversation too, and realized that Bella was right there and had heard the conversation. She turned to the two women.

"Aunt Martha, cousin Jen! You know, there was a reason I didn't want any of my family in the wedding. Besides, who in the family is anywhere near as pretty as Bella is? I can't think of anyone." She looked directly at Jen and smiled.

"Be careful, Jen, you don't want to have too much of that gravy, it'll go straight to your hips."

Then she turned around and continued to the buffet as if nothing happened. She and Bella finished getting food and walked back to the table.

"I can't believe you just did that," Bella whispered to her as they walked back.

"Pshh, I hate Martha. She used to always act as if Jen was a million times better, more sophisticated, smarter and prettier than I am. She now works as a secretary at some low income law firm. I don't usually make a big deal about how much better off I am, but sometimes she needs to be put in her place. Besides, Bella, you are much prettier than she is."

"Yeah, sure I am. Thanks though," Bella replied. She sat down next to Edward and immediately he put his hand on her thigh.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"Nothing, just some guests who don't know how to whisper," Bella replied. "Rosalie took care of it."

"Don't let these people get to you. Some of Carlisle and Esme's friends, and Rosalie's family, like to think they are above the rest of the world. Ignore them. I tend to just smile and nod."

"You seemed quite comfortable with them when you were talking to them earlier."

"The men are easy to talk to. They just want to talk hockey. The women are a disaster; all they see is a young rich hockey player to marry their daughter."

"Yeah your life is so difficult isn't it?" They laughed and she turned back to her food.

When the dinner was finished, it was time for Edward to give his speech. He went over to the podium and the room quieted.

"I'm not going to lie. I hate giving speeches, but this is one I'm glad to make. Emmett has pretty much been a brother to me for as long as I can remember. I think he always wanted a little brother to pick on. I tagged along with him wherever he went, but I remember the moment that changed.

Emmett was ten and we were living in New York. It was our first day of school and Emmett bumped into the prettiest little blonde you'd ever seen and she reamed him pretty bad for it. She made him pick up all her books and carry them to her classroom. She had him on a nice tight leash from that moment on, and just by looking at him you'd know he didn't regret a minute of it.

After that, Rosalie was like a part of the family and it was no surprise when they actually started dating in the ninth grade. I couldn't even imagine Emmett with anyone else. They just made complete sense together and I know that they'll make each other extremely happy for the rest of their lives. So, let's raise our glasses to Emmett and Rosalie. Congratulations."

The crowd cheered and drank to the happy couple.


	19. Chapter 18 - Christmas Surprise

Chapter 18 –

After everyone drank to Edward's speech, Rosalie and Emmett got up and she gave Edward a hug and peck on the check

"Thank you," he said with a smile, "I can't even believe you remember that day. Emmett swears it happened differently."

"Well he'd never admit that a girl made him carry his books," Edward laughed, and his cousin softly punched him in the arm.

Edward took his seat. Alice was about to give a speech as well, so all the attention turned to her.

"So I, unlike my cousin, I love giving speeches, but I promise I'll keep it short because we all want cake."

Everyone laughed.

Anyway, I remember the first time Emmett brought Rosalie over to our house after they started dating. They were fourteen. We'd met a few times before, but this was different.

I was only twelve and because I was the only girl, and the youngest of the family, I always felt left out. If any of you ladies can remember being twelve, the coolest thing ever was when an older girl wanted to be friends with you. Rosalie was really nice to me that day, so I decided that I would attach myself to her hip, and Rosalie was really nice about it. I knew Emmett was fuming, but I was his little sister and he always wanted me to be happy, so he kept his cool, and I'm glad he did.

Soon after, Rosalie and I made plans to get together, just the two of us, which made Emmett even madder. We became really good friends and it never seemed to bother Rose that I was two years younger than she was.

One day I remember talking to her while we were walking in central park and I told her that someday she was going to marry my brother, and I was really excited because then she would be my big sister. Rosalie just laughed and said that she always wanted a younger sister. So now here we are, years later, and I finally officially have my big sister. Really, though, I've had a big sister since the day Emmett brought her home.

Rosalie, thank you for always being there for me when I needed someone to talk to. You're the best sister ever. And Emmett, thank you so much for being the brother that you are, for always looking out for me, even when it ruined your plans, and for bringing Rosalie into all of our lives."

She raised her glass. "So once more, to Emmett and Rosalie."

Bella could see that Rose was in tears, and she ran over to hug Alice,, so now they were both crying.

Rosalie took the microphone.

"I was so proud of myself. I thought I'd gotten through today without crying."

She laughed with the crowd.

"Thank you so much, Alice. This day was perfect and you are a huge part of that. On top of being an awesome friend and sister, you are a fantastic wedding planner. Nobody else could have made this day come together more perfectly than you did." She hugged Alice again and the crowd clapped.

After the speeches were finished, Carlisle announced the bride and groom would have their first dance. Everyone turned to the dance floor and watched as the band began playing and the two got lost in their own little world.

"They look so happy," Bella said to Edward. He put his hand on her knee and smiled at her.

Edward leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "Maybe someday it'll be us." She whipped her head around to face him, speechless that he brought that up now, especially in light of the conversation they'd just had.

"Hopefully," he added, as he squeezed her knee tighter, reassuring her that she really didn't have to say anything, and for that she wanted to kiss him. However, she was well aware of the room full of people. It would cause quite a scene.

Instead, she took her hand and intertwined their fingers on her lap. "Hopefully," she said finally.

As the song ended, the singer of the band asked the wedding party to join the bride and groom on the dance floor, and Edward stood up.

"Oh god, I didn't think about the dancing. I can't, Edward, especially not in these heels," Bella hissed at him as he grabbed her hand and pulled gently pulled on her arm in an attempt to get her out of her seat.

"You have to, or Rose's wedding pictures won't be complete," Edward said.

"Yeah come on Bella, you'll be fine. Edward will keep you in time," Alice said as she and Jasper went down to the dance floor

"I'm not worried about being 'in time,' I'm worried about staying upright," she said as Edward pulled her up and slowly and led her to the dance floor. She was going to make a fool of both of them.

Edward wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close and they began to move. She could feel him holding her tightly, making sure she was okay and after a few moments she loosened up.

She watched the other couples. Alice and Jasper were flowing perfectly to the music, Emmett and Rosalie as well. Both Carlisle and Esme and Rosalie's parents also looked perfectly choreographed as if they could do the steps in their sleep.

She and Edward were taking much smaller steps, but she was almost sure that his superior skills were making them look alright. She felt better about it, but she was pretty sure if there was brighter lighting, her blush would be very apparent.

"Where did you learn to dance so well?" Bella asked.

"Well, skating takes good coordination and balance. Plus, Alice took ballroom dance lessons when she was a kid and can you imagine Emmett being her practice partner?" Edward asked with a laugh as he spun Bella around. She was a little unsteady, but fine.

It was close to the end of the song. Bella was watching one of the other couples and missed a step, her foot hitting Edward's shoe. She could just imagine herself falling to the floor, probably in an extremely awkward and embarrassing position, but it didn't happen. Edward steadied her and she saw him study her face to make sure she was okay, and then they just kept going without anyone even taking notice.

"I told you, I'm hopeless," she said quietly to him.

"Don't worry; I won't let go, Bella Swan. You won't fall." He grinned one of his perfect smiles and Bella realized that for the first time in her life, she knew what it was like to feel perfectly safe. Sure her family had always been there to protect her from the big stuff, but with Edward, she felt like he wanted to keep her safe at all times.. Since coming here, she hadn't had nearly as many mishaps as she usually did..

"I trust you," she replied and continued to let him control the dancing. She knew that if he let go of her, she'd fall to the ground, but she knew he wouldn't. Sooner than Bella expected, the music stopped and the crowd clapped. The final organized Dance was the Father-daughter dance. Rosalie's father happily took Rose in his arms and Emmett began dancing with Esme. Alice danced with Carlisle and Edward and Bella stood to the side smiling.

Bella couldn't help but think of her family. She had decided early in her trip to Denver that she wasn't going to go see them for Christmas, and she had talked to them the day before, but there was a part of her that did wish she could spend Christmas with them. In early December she'd talked about maybe flying them out to Denver, but nothing had really come of it.

"What're you thinking?" Edward asked, looking down at her.

"Nothing, just dazing off," she lied. The last thing she wanted was for any of the Cullen family to feel like she didn't want to be there. She really did. It was one of the best Christmas Eve's she'd ever had, and she knew the next day would be amazing as well.

After the song was over, Bella and Edward went to sit down, and Jasper joined them.

The dancing continued for a while longer, and, though she protested, Bella was dragged by Alice and Rosalie out to the dance floor during a faster song, and she managed to stay upright the entire time. She was worn out afterward, and sat down with Esme and chatted for a while.

They announced the cutting of the cake. Bella and Esme headed over together to watch, and Bella wondered who would shove cake in whose face first. She guessed Rosalie, and she would have been right, but Emmett knew his wife too well, and put his hand around her wrist to stop her while he put a small amount on her face. Of course he allowed Rose to do the same, butjust to spite him, all she did was put icing on the end of his nose. Everyone laughed.

A while later Bella was sitting in a chair on the side of the dance floor, trying very hard not to fall asleep. It had been a long day.

"Tired?" Edward asked as he approached her..

"It's been a long day," she said as she tried to suppress a yawn

"Yeah," he said with a smile, "but I think they're throwing the bouquet soon and then it's pretty much over, and we can head out and get you in bed."

"Yours?" she asked as she leaned back into him.

He leaned his head down so that his mouth was right next to her ear, "Definitely. But only if you leave that dress on." Then he quickly pulled away so they wouldn't draw any attention. The music started again. A few people continued dancing, including Alice and Jasper. Rosalie came over to Bella and sat down with her.

"You look exhausted. How are you doing?" she asked sweetly.

"I am exhausted. After you throw the bouquet, I think Edward and I will head out if that's alright with you."

"Totally fine. Emmett and I need to get out of here soon too. By the way, Merry Christmas, it's just after midnight."

"Oh, is it? Merry Christmas to you too. "

She took Rose's hands in hers. "Rose, the wedding was perfect, I'm really happy for you, and I cannot wait to write the story."

"Thank you so much. I can't wait to see it." She sighed. "Okay well I'm going to let Alice know I want to do the bouquet toss now because, well, I just want to get my ass home with Emmett."

"Fair enough," Bella laughed and watched as Rosalie hurried onto the dance floor and whispered in Alice's ear.

True to her word, Rosalie had the bouquet toss quickly afterward. Alice grabbed Bella's wrist and dragged her out to the floor. "You have to Bella; it's tradition." Bella followed reluctantly. Rosalie turned to the group of single women and smiled. She saw that Alice and Bella were on her left and purposely tossed it towards them. Bella didn't even make an effort to grab it, but Alice was ready and snatched it out of the air and then jumped up and down excitedly. She leaped toward Bella and hugged her, and then Rosalie joined them.

"I know you totally planned that Rose, but yay me!" Alice said excitedly. "Oh, Rose, get back up there. Emmett has to do the garter."

"I'm waiting," Emmett joked, and Rose shook her head as she went back over to Emmett and sat down on the chair n front of him. The single men now replaced the women crowded in front of the couple, Edward and Jasper included. Emmett decided to adhere to tradition, and ducked under her dress, emerging with the garter between his teeth. There were some cheers, and then Emmett pulled it back and let it fly, like a twelve year old shooting rubber bands during class. It landed on Edward's shoulder. He laughed lightly and picked it off his shoulder.

Traditionally, the next dance went to the girl who caught the bouquet and the guy who caught the garter, but Rosalie didn't like that idea.

"Oh that's just weird," she said, "You can't dance with your cousin. Jasper, dance with your girlfriend please and..." she paused for effect, "Bella, why don't you dance with Edward." Bella happily obliged and when she walked past Rosalie and Emmett, he winked at her.

She met Edward and he put his hand on her waist and pulled her close like he did before. "Here we go again," she said nervously, aware that there were only two couples on the floor and that meant much of the room would be watching them, and more importantly, watching her if she tripped.

Thankfully, Edward was there to hold her upright and keep her in time. The dance ended uneventfully and when it was over Bella visibly relaxed and let out a sigh.

"I'm going to go say my goodbyes to everyone and then we can go. How does that sound?" Edward asked as they walked off the dance floor.

"Great, I'll go say goodbye too." She headed over to Esme and Rosalie, who were talking. "So, I think Edward and I are heading out pretty soon," she said happily. "Hey, have you seen Amy, or even Tristan? Amy asked me to hold her camera earlier and I didn't see her again all night."

"Uh, no I haven't seen either of them for quite a while actually. Maybe they went home; she was probably tired," Rosalie offered, as she glanced around. "Just have Edward to give it to Tristan at their next practice."

"Good idea. Okay, well I won't see you tonight I'm sure, but tomorrow morning?" Bella said as Edward approached the group with Bella's coat.

"Yeah, probably bright and early," Rosalie smiled, looking over at Jasper and Alice.

"Hopefully," Esme said with a grin, "then I'll have two down, one to go," she joked as she looked at Edward, and then Bella.

"Way to make things awkward, Esme," Edward said as he leaned in to give his aunt a kiss goodnight.

"Now it's even more awkward," Bella added. She knew she was blushing.

"I just wanted to see you blush," he said as he helped Bella into her coat.

After Bella was bundled up, she turned to Rose and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Congratulations again, it was a great wedding, and you look beautiful."

"Thank you," Rosalie replied. "By the way," she said, looking at Edward, "try not to damage her dress too bad when you take it off of her."

"Rose!" Bella hissed. She glanced at Esme who wasn't bothered by it at all.

Again, Edward wanted to make the moment even more embarrassing, and he winked at Rose, "Who says I'm even going to take it off?" Bella's eyes widened and she resisted the urge to punch him. They said goodnight once more and headed toward the door.

"So, do you think they'll make it to his room?" Esme asked with a smile.

"I hope so, or things might get a little awkward for our...uh...surprise houseguests," Rosalie replied.

"I never thought about that," Esme said, laughing, "I'm sure we have nothing to worry about."

Bella held on for dear life as she and Edward hurried back to the Cullen home. Edward seemed to be driving even faster than normal, which terrified her. They pulled into the driveway and Edward shut the car off and the two headed for the front door. Bella waited for Edward to open it. When he didn't, she looked back at him, and he leaned forward and softly kissed her neck.

The contrast of the cold December air and the heat of his breath on her neck gave her shivers and she sighed and leaned back into him. He continued kissing her neck as he turned her around and kissed up the side of her face, over her jaw and then met her lips.

"I have been killing myself trying to keep my hands off you all night," he said against her lips.

"I might have noticed a little," she joked.

He laughed and kissed her harder and then backed her up against the door. "Edward, we're outside, let's go to your bedroom, where we can continue this properly."

"There's no one home," he said, as he again kissed her neck, "We don't need to go to my room. The first flat surface will do. Perhaps even the nearest wall." He brought his hand up and cupped her breast as best he could through the wool coat. Even through the layers she could feel it distinctively.

"Edward, it's your parent's house, we can't..." She started to make a weak protest but as she did, she felt his mouth next to her ear.

"Of course we can," he replied, and she heard a distinct click. She'd been leaning against the door and she felt it move suddenly. . She fell slightly backwards, but his arms were instantly around her waist, steadying her. She stepped back and into the gorgeous front room as Edward closed and locked the door behind them and immediately started to undo the buttons of her jacket. He was grateful there were only four. Then he quickly undid his and both of them shrugged off their coats, letting them fall forgotten to the ground.

Edward ran his hands up and down her back as they continued moving into the house. Bella felt a wall behind her and Edward grinned. "I think I'm going to follow through with what I told Rosalie," he said with grin as he looked her in the eyes.

"What?" Bella asked, confused.

"The dress is staying on," he replied as he crushed his lips to hers again. She brought her arms up around his neck as his hands made their way down the dress. He pulled the material up, reached his hands under, and cupped her ass. She pressed herself into him trying to get as much contact as possible and Edward pulled down her underwear.

"Eager, tonight?" Bella joked as she felt him pressed up against her.

"We've only had several hours of foreplay," Edward replied. As she felt the underwear hit the ground, she went to step out of them, but they got caught on her shoe.

"Wait, I need to take these off," she said, referring to her shoes. Edward chuckled and stepped away from her as she quickly undid the straps and took the shoes off. When she looked up, she saw that Edward had gotten more comfortable and had taken his tux jacket off and undid his tie.

He stepped back close to her and Bella reached into his pants and un-tucked his shirt so she could run her hands along his bare skin.

"We should really go to your room," she said again, trying to reason with him, but he didn't seem to care. To get her mind off of it, he brought his hand back to her breast and teased her through the dress and thin lace bra she wore.

"I think the wall will work nicely," he replied as he kissed the top of her breasts and moved his hands back under the material of her skirt. His fingers found her moist core and he began to tease her. She leaned back against the wall and quietly moaned. He entered her with one finger and she pressed herself against his hand. He smiled as she apparently agreed that the wall would be satisfactory and began to undo his pants. When she got them open and reached into his underwear to wrap her hand around his length, he stopped his ministrations on her momentarily, but she let out a slight annoyed whine and he continued. She began to stroke him in the same rhythm he was using, now with two fingers.

"Now, Edward. Inside me," she quietly pleaded, and that was all he needed. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he positioned himself to enter her.

He stopped. "Shit, condom." He cursed his unpreparedness.

"I'm on the pill," she said quickly. "You know that."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah, we've had this conversation before." He looked at her, making sure. "Please, now Edward!" That was all the reassurance he needed and he lowered her down onto him. She moaned quietly as he filled her.

He began moving inside her, each time pushing her against the wall. He could feel himself getting close and knew that she was probably almost there too. That thought was confirmed when Bella reached between them and began stroking her clit. He knew that was a sure sign she was really far gone, and ready to climax.

Sure enough, a few seconds later he felt her walls tighten around him as she began to let out a scream, but he kissed her quiet. He followed soon after and then relaxed as much as he could while still supporting her.

"Edward, let me down. The extra strain on your leg cannot be a good..." she stopped when they both heard the sound of a door closing somewhere in the house. Edward quickly pulled himself out of her and set her feet back down on the ground.

"Who's here?" she asked. Bella saw the concern on his face. He didn't know.

"Not a fucking clue; no one should be here. They're all still at the hotel." He quickly redid his pants and turned toward the hallway.

They heard whispering behind the door leading to a different room. "...I'm not going out there, you go..." A male voice hissed to someone else.

"No way in hell I'm going out there. It was your idea that we should wait in the..." This time it was a female voice.

"No one thought we'd be in here listening to two people having sex in the next room..." A second male voice chimed in.

So there were at least three unknown people in the house. Edward stepped closer to the door and reached toward the handle to open it. He quickly swung it open. "What the hell is going on in here?"he yelled, as he saw two couples he'd never seen before.

"Mom? Dad?" Bella said. Edward turned to her. She was beaming. "What are you doing here? Oh my God!" Her face suddenly dropped as she realized what her family had just heard. She was bright red almost instantly.

"Your parents?" Edward asked awkwardly..

"Yes, her parents," the older of the two men said in a hostile tone, "and you are?"

Bella gave an annoyed look to her father. She was embarrassed, but she wasn't going to let him play macho protective dad with Edward.

"Dad, you know who this is. I know you watch hockey. Now please explain what you're doing here." She stopped for a second. "Let me guess, a little dark-haired pixie put you up to this?"

"No, this screams Esme," Edward replied. He turned back to the four others in the room. "Hello, I'm Edward Cullen." He turned to Charlie. "You must be Bella's father." Charlie just looked at him.

He smiled at Renee. "And you must be her mother."

"Renee," she said sweetly, and shook his hand. "It's great to meet you." She eyed her ex-husband and he grudgingly held out his hand.

"Chief Swan," he said.

"Dad," Bella warned.

"But you can call me Charlie," he grumbled.

Bella took over from there. "And this is Phil, mom's husband, and Dad's girlfriend Sue." Edward shook hands with them.

After they said their hellos and Bella hugged everyone, they heard a noise by the front door. It was Alice and Jasper. "Bella, I was with you at Victoria's Secret when you bought this underwear. They don't really belong on the floor in the front room now, do they Edward?" Alice called as she turned and opened the door and took in the situation on the other side.

"Oh, hi!" She said.. Obviously she knew what Esme had been planning. "I forgot you were all going to be here when we got home. My mind is a mess after today. I'm Alice, and this is Jasper," she said as she stuffed the underwear into her coat pocket.

Introductions were made again and Alice used her charm to try and lighten the mood. "I am so sorry that you all had to spend the afternoon here alone. It wasn't very good hosting on our part. I wish you would have been able to make it for the wedding. Bella looked beautiful...uh well she still does, but it's been a long day."

"We'll make sure that you get pictures from the afternoon. Your daughter made a wonderful bridesmaid. Rosalie was extremely happy that she agreed to fill in," Jasper said with a smile.

"She was even dancing in stilettos," Alice blurted out, which resulted in shocked looks from her family.

"Our Bella was in Stilettos?" Renee laughed, "And she was dancing? Sweetheart, apparently Denver has done you well."

"There were a few moments that could have ended badly, but Edward kept me upright," Bella replied.

As usual, Alice and Jasper had made a bad situation better.

During the next half hour, the rest of the family came home and they were all chatting with Bella's family. Soon though, the events of the day caught up with most everyone, and they went to bed. Finally it was just Edward and Bella left with her mother and father.

"I think I'm going to crash, okay Bella?" Edward said, putting his hand on her back.

"I'll be up fairly quick. Give me ten minutes of so," Bella replied.

"Okay," he said as he lightly kissed her cheek.

When he left the room, Renee eyed Bella. "Okay, spill," she said directly. "How have we not had a 'hey mom, so I'm dating a hockey player' conversation?"

"We're trying to keep it quiet. No one knows. Just his family, and that's only because Alice can see into my apartment from hers. We're just seeing how it goes for now. We have no long term plans or anything."

"Bella, are you sure that this is a good..." Charlie began.

Bella stopped him. "Dad, I'm a big girl, calm down."

"I'm happy for you, sweetie, but your father might be right," Renee chided.

"Okay, we are not having this conversation. Not now, and probably not ever. I love you both very much, and I am beyond happy that you are here, but I think that it's time I go to bed. I'll see you in the morning." She stood up and quickly kissed them both goodnight and left. She knew they probably deserved to know more, but in the context of the situation, Bella knew that tonight was not the night to discuss it.

She hurried upstairs and quickly changed into one of Edward's shirts, because she was sure she'd be awakened by a screaming Alice early in the morning, and she'd been embarrassed enough without running out of the room naked. She climbed into bed next to Edward. He pulled her close and kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry Bella. I didn't know they were..."

"I know you didn't. No guy in their right mind would have sex with a girl up against the living room wall when her police officer father is in the house." Edward laughed and the two got comfortable before falling asleep.


	20. Chapter 19 - Morning

Hello!

Here is Chapter 19. I just finished uploading the rest of the story into the document Manager here on and I hope to get them all up today. I may not have a lot of authors notes throughout them, but please leave your comments if you have any.

Chapter 19 –

"Oh my God. Yay! Bella, Bella, wake up!" This was the first thing Bella heard on Christmas morning. The voice, belonging to Alice, was getting closer by the second.

Bella curled up closer to Edward and groaned, "It's early," she said to him.

"Yes it is, but she's happy," Edward replied equally groggy. The two looked at each other and smiled.

"Bella wake up!" Alice swung Edward's door open. Bella turned and sat up.

"Guess what?" she exclaimed with a huge smile.

Bella grinned. "Hmm, let me guess..." She stopped short as Jasper shook his head and waved his arms rapidly behind Alice. She changed tactics. "Uh, I don't know, what happened?"

"Amy had her baby! That's why she and Tristan left the wedding early. It's a little boy. Tristan just called me to see if I knew how to get in touch with you. He doesn't have your number."

"My number, why? Oh! I have their camera! They're going to need that."

She turned to Edward.

"Uh, Edward may I borrow your car to drive down to the hospital? I don't want to interrupt your family Christmas, but they need that camera. Every new parent deserves to completely document their baby's first day."

"I'll go down with you, to congratulate Tristan," Edward quickly replied.

"But it's your family Christmas. I wouldn't want to make you wait."

"Well, your family is here too, and almost everyone is still sleeping anyway," Edward said, and then turned to Alice. "If my impatient pixie cousin could maybe go back to sleep for an hour or so, then we could run the camera over to them and be back in no time."

"Yeah Alice, we could go back to bed for a little while," Jasper said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Do we have to sleep?" Alice asked with a smirk, turning to him.

"I don't need to hear this," Edward chimed in as Jasper shook his head, grinning.

"Goodbye you guys," Alice said as she walked away..

After she left, Jasper turned to Bella and Edward and mouthed 'Thank-you' to them and then followed Alice down the hall.

Bella quickly jumped out of bed and went to her bag. She pulled on a burgundy sweater and a pair of black dress pants.

Edward quickly dressed in jeans and a light blue shirt. They quickly brushed their teeth and hair and then hurried out.

Bella was extremely happy that Edward had offered to come, especially since she had no idea where to find the Rose Medical Center. They got there in no time.

They went into one of the doors and before going to find the room they saw that the gift shop was open and they bought a congratulations card and a blue stuffed bear. Afterward they quickly found the maternity wing and asked the desk where they could find Amy Mercer's room.

They were directed to a nearby room and Bella and Edward went over and knocked lightly on the door frame, not wanting to just barge in.

Tristan appeared quickly and smiled, "Hey, guys, come in," he whispered with a smile, "She's sleeping. She was in labor all night. He wasn't born until 3:25 this morning. I'm sorry to make you come here so early on Christmas morning, but I've already used up two disposable cameras and filled my phone. I know I won't be able to stop anytime soon. Besides, with the digital it'll be easier to email pictures to the family.

"No problem at all," Bella replied. "So give us details! Alice told us nothing."

"We named him Cody Alexander; he was seven pounds four ounces. He has a ton of hair and he's about the most beautiful thing you'll ever see." He was beaming.

"Aw, that's so sweet. I can't wait to see him." Bella grinned and looked to Amy. "How'd she do? You guys left pretty early, so it must have been a long night."

"Yeah we left in a hurry. She handled it great. She was completely calm. I freaked out because apparently she had been having contractions since just after the ceremony, but didn't tell me until we were eating dinner, I would have made her leave right then, but she wanted to stay for the speeches and the first dance. After the father daughter dance, her water broke and we had to leave quickly," he said.

"She stayed that long?" Edward asked, surprised.

"Yeah, she said it wasn't so bad and that she would just go crazy at the hospital."

A nurse popped in. "How's our patient doing?" she asked, and then said hello to Edward and Bella. "It's about time for a feeding if you'd like to wake her up. I'm sure your friends would love to see the beautiful little boy." Edward saw the look on Bella's face and couldn't help but smile; she was ecstatic.

Tristan went over to his wife's side and whispered in her ear. She woke up and saw that Bella and Edward were there. "I'm so glad you guys came. Why didn't you wake me, Tristan?"

"Oh, we knew you'd been up all night and needed your rest," Edward replied happily.

"Sorry about the camera Bella. I should have remembered it," Amy apologized.

"I think you had more important things on your mind," Bella replied.

There was movement at the door and she saw the nurse had returned with a little blue bundle and a bottle of formula.

"He's beautiful," Bella said as soon as she saw him. "You are definitely right about him being the most beautiful thing ever."

"Would mommy or daddy like to feed him this time?" The nurse asked. Obviously Amy had opted not to breast feed.

"I did it last time, so now it's your turn, sweetheart," Tristan said to Amy.

She began to sit up, but then stopped.

"Bella, why don't you feed him? I'm so comfortable lying down that I don't want to move."

"Are you sure? He's is so tiny. I don't think I've ever held a baby that small." Bella said, a bit apprehensive to hold the newborn.. .

"You'll be fine. He does most of the work," The nurse said sweetly. Bella handed her coat to Edward and sat down. The nurse handed her the baby, showing her how to hold him, and then gave her the bottle.

"Oh, Tristan, you need to take pictures! " Amy called from the bed. Edward handed him the camera and Tristan began snapping away. "See Bella? It's easy! You're a natural."

"I don't know about being a natural. I'm afraid to move," she replied quietly.

Edward stood silently watching Bella and his mind filled with thoughts about how much he wanted to experience this with her. To watch her holding their baby in her arms.. He had to admit he was in deep, and even though telling her scared him, he wanted her to know that he loved her. He needed to tell her, but he also worried about scaring her.

When baby Cody finished the bottle, Tristan held him and leaned down close to his wife and they whispered to each other.

"We should go. Give them some alone time," Bella whispered to Edward.

"Yeah," he replied. He lightly cleared his throat and the two turned to him. "Sorry to interrupt, but we should get back. Merry Christmas. I'm sure this is already your greatest Christmas ever."

"Merry Christmas to you too, and pass it on to the family," Amy replied. "Oh and congratulate Rose and Emmett for us. We didn't get a chance to yesterday. Also, please apologize to Jasper and Alice! We woke them up didn't we? Did we ruin his proposal plans? Oh, I feel horrible."

"Don't worry about that; after she woke us up by busting into our room to tell us about the baby, we told her to go back to sleep while we brought you the camera, so he can still pull this off. Besides, I think his plan was interrupted for a good reason," Bella replied. Then she paled as she realized her slip as soon as she said it. Tristan and Edward just laughed, but Amy caught it.

"Did you say 'our' room?" Amy asked with a grin. Edward's face dropped. "When did this happen?"

Tristan clued in finally. "You two? Congrats. When?"

"Uh..." Bella didn't know how to answer that.

"A little while. I'll tell you later, at the next practice," Edward replied. "Can you keep it quiet for now? Not many people know."

"Of course. We won't tell anyone. I'm just really happy for you guys," Amy replied. "Could I ask one favor before you go?"

"Of course," Bella replied.

"Could you take a picture of the three of us?" Amy asked.

"Yes. Sure." She hurried over and grabbed the camera and took a couple of family shots.

"Would it be OK if I took a picture with my phone? Alice Rose and Esme will want to see Cody."

"Of course," Tristan replied.

Bella snapped a few pictures.

"Anyway, we'll let you guys get some rest. He's beautiful, by the way. Just adorable," Bella said.

"Thank you, and Merry Christmas," Amy replied, "And I'm really happy for you, too. You make a sweet couple. I expect details when I get out of this place."

"You'll get them, we promise," Edward replied, "See you guys later."

Edward and Bella walked out to the car in silence. Bella felt horrible that she had let it slip, and his not talking made her feel even worse. When they got back into Edward's car, he turned it on and let it warm up. He saw the upset look on Bella's face.

"Bella?"

"I'm so sorry Edward. I knew as soon as I said it that I had screwed up. You'd think being uncoordinated would be enough of a flaw, but apparently I have no verbal filter either." Before she could continue with her rant, Edward leaned forward and kissed her.

"They won't tell, and I'm not upset that they know."

"You're not? Then why are you so quiet?"

"Because I was really affected by what just happened," he replied as he ran his hand down her cheek.

"I'm confused."

"Watching you with the baby. Someday I want that with you. I want to be able to watch you hold our beautiful baby in your arms. I love you, Bella. I know that especially after what's happened in the last few weeks and after we just barely talked about our issues and where this relationship is going, the timing is terrible, but I needed to let you know."

"Oh, I didn't expect that." Bella's mouth was wide open. There was a long silence. "Edward..."

"You don't have to say it back. I know the timing is terrible..."

This time she cut him off. "Edward, I love you too. I think I've known for a while. After you were injured. I think my entire world stopped and I'd never been so worried in my entire life. I guess I just realized how much you meant to me."

A smile crept across his face and he kissed her again.

"So I shouldn't suggest that I get injured again?" he replied.

"No, that might actually kill me."

They leaned forward and rested their foreheads together.

"We wouldn't want that to happen now, would we?" he joked.

They sat together for a few minutes before Bella sighed. "We should get back; everyone will wake up soon and I'm sure they'll want to start opening presents."

"Yeah," Edward sat back, buckled up, and backed out of the spot.

They arrived back at the house and were practically attacked by Alice. "Okay, first of all, I'm Engaged! And you all knew! I cannot believe you kept this from me!" She faked annoyance but hugged both of them. "And second, tell me about the baby. Is Amy okay? Did you get to see the baby? What's his name? I forgot to ask when they called me."

"His name is Cody and he's adorable." She pulled out her phone and showed the pictures. "Tristan said Amy did great."

"Oh he's adorable. Rose, Mom, get over here! We have baby pictures!"

Rose and Esme hurried over and crowded in to see the pictures.

"I've got some more on my phone," Edward said out of nowhere.

"What? You do?" Bella's eyes flew to his and he grinned.

"Yes, from when you were feeding him." Edward came over with his phone and showed them..

"Aw, Bella you look so sweet holding him," Rose smiled.

"Maybe someday soon you'll get one of your own that I can spoil," Esme added. Bella instantly turned red.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful. I'd get to be a grandmother." Renee had appeared around the corner and got a glare from her daughter. "What? I just want babies to spoil."

"I agree," Esme added, "And that goes for all of you. Not just Bella," she said, looking at Rose and Alice..

"Okay, let's move into the kitchen and have breakfast now" Edward cut in. He closed his phone and ushered the women into the kitchen.

Bella sat with Alice and listened to her tell the proposal story. After they had obviously had sex, when they were cuddling in bed, he opened the nightstand drawer, turned to her and told her how much he loved her and that there was nothing he wanted more than to spend the rest of his life with her and asked her to marry him; she said yes, and then jumped up and down on the bed like a little kid.

"Then she hurried to all the rooms in the house and woke the rest of us up," Emmett added with fake annoyance.

"Oh shut up Emmett." Rose smacked his back.

Everyone helped put breakfast together and set the table. Bella couldn't help but notice that her family seemed to fit in nicely with the Cullens. Bella smiled as she watched them all.

"You seem really happy, Bella," Alice said, putting her hand over Bella's.

"I really am. This has been a great two days. Everything has just been so perfect. And having my family here makes it just that much better."

"Well you deserve to be that happy," Rose said smiling, "You really do. When Esme approached us and asked what we thought of having your family here we were all for it because we know how little you see them and how much your life has changed in the last four months. I also felt a little bad that you would need to be here for the wedding and I was keeping you away from your family at Christmas."

"It wouldn't have been too bad. I've spent a few holidays without them, but having them here means the world to me," Bella replied as her mother came by and deposited the plates.

Everyone ate quickly, not because they were all starving, but because Alice was rushing everyone along so they could get to the opening of the presents. After they were finished and the kitchen was partially tidied up they all moved into the main living room where the gorgeous tree, decorated by Alice and Rose, sat surrounded by more gifts than Bella had ever seen in one place.

She sat down on the floor near one of the couches and Edward lightly pulled her back to rest between his legs as he sat on the couch. "Are you comfy? You can sit up here if you'd like?" He looked down at her.

"Here's good, I always sit on the floor to open my gifts, since I was little," she grinned.

"So, who's first?" Emmett asked. He sat on a couch with Rose next to him, leaning on his shoulder.

"Alice," Edward and Rosalie said in unison.

Alice laughed, "Well I'm not going to argue." While sitting on the floor, she leaned toward the gifts and found one with her name on it. She looked at the tag. "It's from Renee and Phil. "

She looked up at them.

You didn't have to," she said, smiling at Renee."

"Well from the way my daughter talks about you all, I feel like your members of the family."

Inside the tiny box was a gift certificate to the bath shop where she had gotten all of Bella's bath products. Alice smiled and got up to hug Renee and then Phil.

"Okay, tradition says the person who the gift is from gets to open the next one. This one is from Esme and Carlisle," she said, handing a box to Renee. Inside was a very nice wine set..

Carlisle got a sweater and Esme a nice set of silk pajamas from Emmett and Rose.

Emmett and Rose received a beautiful set of picture frames in which Alice had put photos of them throughout the years..

Jasper got a watch From Edward.

Edward received a gift card from Charlie and Sue. "I spoke to your aunt and she said you liked that store," Sue said.

"Are you kidding? He'd live in their clothes if he didn't have to wear sponsored clothing at most of our appearances" Emmett joked.

Charlie and Sue got the same wine set as Renee and Phil.

Bella had gotten Esme a scarf and mittens set that she had almost bought on one of their shopping trips, and she got Carlisle a pair of leather gloves.

When it was Bella's turn, Alice jumped up and grabbed one for her. "This one is from Rose, Esme and me."

It was a square shaped box that was fairly flat, almost the size of a picture frame. She opened it and found that it was a scrapbook. Inside were pictures and pieces of her first articles, including stuff that never quite made it into the final cuts.

"We called Angela and she sent us everything she had. We wanted to document your first real stories. We plan to finish it with the rest of your articles, and now you'll be able to help."

Bella was practically in tears as she flipped the pages. It was one of the most thoughtful gifts she'd ever received.

"Thank you.. This looks like it took a lot of effort and the last thing you guys have had in the last few weeks, is extra time." She hugged the three of them.

"So, since there are so many of us, and everyone has opened one, can we just have a free for all?" Emmett asked like an impatient five year old.

"That will probably be easier," Carlisle replied and it was decided.

It still took about two hours to get through all the gifts because everyone still wanted to thank each other and stopped every few minutes. Bella was surprised when the gifts she had sent to her parents and their significant others were also under the tree. Apparently they had brought them back to Denver.

In the end, Bella had gotten a gift card to a bookstore from her dad and Sue, and her mother and Phil got her a pair of white gold earrings.

The scrapbook wasn't all she got from the Cullens. She also got a scarf and mittens set which made her laugh because it was the same one she had gotten Esme, only in a different color. From Rosalie and Emmett she got an amazing bath set, and from Alice and Jasper she got a royal blue ballerina style dress that Alice had made her try on one day. She never would have thought to try it on herself, but she had to admit that when Alice got her into it, she loved how it looked, but at the time Alice had convinced her not to buy it, and now she knew why.

"You can wear it to the New Year's Gala. It's a big fundraiser that Esme organizes every year. All proceeds go to the Denver Children's Hospital," Alice said happily. Bella thanked her again.

She noticed that she had not received a gift from Edward, but she also noted that none of the couples had received gifts from their significant others. Those gifts were obviously meant to be opened privately.

After cleaning up the mountain of wrapping paper, everyone broke off into groups. Bella was talking to her mother, catching up on all the gossip from Phoenix, when Edward came up behind her. He put one hand on the small of her back then turned to Renee, "Would you mind if I stole her away for a little while?"

"Of course not. We can catch up later. I'll go see if your aunt wants any help in the Kitchen."

"Thank you," Edward said, "and thanked her for the cologne set that she and Phil had gotten him..

"Yeah, Bella told me once that it's the one you wear. I should have clued in a long time ago that you were together. No girl knows the cologne a guy wears unless they're together."

"That's not true. I actually found out in a magazine article about him," Bella replied smugly.

Bella hugged her mom and thanked her and they went back upstairs to Edward's room.

"So do the couples always exchange gifts in private? I had brought your gift downstairs, but realized what was happening and put them aside. ."

"Yeah we've been doing it this way for a while, but this is the first time I get to partake in that tradition."

"Ever? You've never had a girlfriend at Christmas?"

"Not one I wanted around my family," he replied as he went to his bedside table and pulled out a small box.. He handed it to her and she slowly took off the wrapping.

Inside was a white-gold and Diamond Tennis Bracelet. The cut of the diamonds matched very closely with the earrings her mother had gotten her.

"Edward, this is way too much."

"I think it's perfect. Esme helped me pick it out. Your mom must have told her what she was getting you, because they look the same."

"They will look great together with the Dress Alice got me for the New Years' Eve Gala," Bella replied.

"Speaking of which, Bella Swan, would you like to be my date to the New Year's Eve Gala?" he asked as he put the bracelet on her.

"Like an actual date where people would see us and know we're together?" She felt herself panic a little.

"Well everyone brings a date. We could just pretend we're there as friends, if that's you prefer, but if we go as a couple, then there's a guarantee we will be seated together. It's a pretty big event. Each table seats eight.. Last year we got stuck with an extremely loud fat man with much more money than brains. Rose was ready to throw her plate at him."

"I think I could manage to be a better table-mate for you. Okay, if you're sure about this, then yes, I will be your date for the Gala." He grinned then kissed her sweetly.

"Your turn?" she asked as they broke the kiss.

"Sure," He replied.

Bella handed him a small box. He opened the paper carefully and inside was a leather wallet. He laughed because he knew his was getting worn out, and Bella had commented on it a few times. He pulled open the wallet and inside was a picture of the two of them from Halloween that Esme had taken. There was also a penny.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "A penny?"

"I've always been told that you should never give someone an empty wallet; that you should always put some money in it for good luck in the future."

He smiled."I like it. I really needed one too. The picture is great."

"Yeah, there are pretty much no pictures of us together so this one was hard to come by," she replied. "I'm glad you like it, but next holiday we set a money limit because this bracelet it way too much."

"Of course it isn't. Besides, even if you set a limit I promise to go over it. You still need a diamond necklace, and ring. I bet I could get hair clips, and maybe even a belly button ring."

"I don't have my belly button pierced," She quickly replied.

"You might eventually."

"You're hopeless," she said, shaking her head.

"But you still love me," he replied.

"Yes, I do," she sighed and leaned to rest her head on his shoulder.

He kissed the top of her head, "I love you too."


	21. Chapter 20 - Back on the Ice

Chapter 20 –

Christmas Dinner was fairly uneventful; everyone seemed relaxed and happy to be around one another. Bella noticed that Edward avoided being alone for any length of time with her father, but that was probably a good idea. Charlie had cornered her earlier to "have a talk", but she again told him that she was a big girl and that she knew what she was doing. He wasn't happy, but he finally let it go.

The entire crew sat together in the Cullen living room while a fire burned in the background, chatting about nothing of major importance. Michael Buble's Christmas CD, one of Bella's favorites, was playing in the background. Bella sat curled up under a blanket with Edward and he was calmly rubbing his hands up and down her back. She was exhausted.

"You ready for bed?" he whispered quietly into her ear.

"Mmhmm," she mumbled to him.

"Okay." He shifted and caught the attention of his aunt. "We're going to head to bed. It's been a long couple of days."

"It's not that late Edward," Alice complained.

"Yeah, but we were up really late last night, and you got us up nice and early this morning."

"Fine. Go to bed," she replied in mock annoyance. Then she softened and said, "Merry Christmas to both of you."

"Thanks, you too," Bella replied, "And congratulations as well."

"Thanks. You know what the best part is? Now we can spend our free time planning my wedding. I'm thinking the end of the season, in June; you'll still be here."

"Well at this rate, it looks like she won't be leaving at all," Renee cut in and all eyes went to Bella and Edward. This was definitely a downside to her keeping secrets from her parents. They had no idea about all the issues and drama the couple had been going through in recent weeks.

"We'll see," Edward said smoothly as he and Bella got up to head to his room. They didn't hear how the conversation progressed.

"Sorry about that. She obviously doesn't know anything about us right now."

"No big deal. It's something that will always come up until we've figured it out. We just don't need to let any of them force us to make decisions before we're ready."

"I agree," I said, hugging him close.

It was the 29th. Renee and Phil had left the night before, and Charlie and Sue left early in the morning. Bella felt a little sad to have her family gone, but it was probably for the best. No more prying eyes and probing questions and assumptions. Plus, she was really happy because Edward was going back to practice that morning. She had dropped Dad and Sue off at the airport and when she got back, as soon as he came out of the bedroom, she saw the excitement in his eyes.

"I'm going to the ice early. I want a few minutes alone before practice starts." He sighed. " It'll be nice to join actual practice again. The half-ass practices I've been doing on my own were getting old."

"I'll come down with you. Practice is at ten, right?" it was eight thirty.

"No, it's not until twelve."

"Twelve? You're going to be three hours early. That's not a 'few minutes'. You'll be worn out before practice even starts."

"I'm too keyed up to just sit around. I'll take it easy. Come down with me and I'll give you another skating lesson."

"Yeah, 'cause the last one was so productive. You know I'm hopeless."

"You aren't hopeless. You watch, I'll turn you into a pro. Maybe you should wear a skirt this time." Bella's eyes narrowed and he dodged the throw-pillow from the couch she chucked at him.

"I'll let you play teacher, but with the number of times I'm going to fall on the ice, there's no way I am wearing a skirt, even though I know that's why you asked me to. I'm not taking lessons purely for your entertainment," she replied.

"Fine," he huffed in mock disappointment. Bella hurried to the other room and grabbed the skates he had gotten her, and they made it to the arena fairly quickly.

Edward helped her get her skates laced up again and she stepped out onto the ice as he put on his own skates, but she couldn't let go of the boards.

Edward made his way onto the ice. He took her hand and together they moved her away from the boards. He got behind her and put both hands on her waist.

"How're you doing? You steady enough yet?"

"I'm never steady, but I think I am as steady as I can be on two blades," she snarked.

"I'm going to give you a push. Try to glide, and maybe push yourself a little. I'll be right behind you."

"Okay. Go ahead." He lightly pushed her, and then she tried to push herself with one of her skates. She stumbled, but managed to stay upright.

"Try it again; you're really close to getting it." She did as he asked and this time she actually managed to glide a bit. She looked over her shoulder to see Edward smiling.

"See? I told you. I know you'll get the hang of it."

"Yeah sure."

"Want to go faster?"

"Faster?" she asked in a panic, as he got closer to her. He took both her hands and held them tightly. He began to skate backwards and she just glided along. He sped up and she clenched her teeth together.

"Relax, don't stiffen up. It feels amazing when you skate fast like this." Bella wanted to reply with a comment about how it might be easy and amazing for him, but for her it was terrifying. She kept her mouth shut though, because she feared that if she focused on anything but staying on her feet, she'd fly into the boards at full speed.

Finally he began to slow down and Bella took a breath. "That was terrible."

"You didn't like it?" He seemed genuinely perplexed.

"It's not enjoyable for me. Ice doesn't help the uncoordinated. I'm sorry. I know how much you love it."

"I can keep you standing." He gave her a cocky grin. She just shook her head.

He took her hands again and they began skating; slower this time. After a few minutes Bella decided she was finished and just wanted to watch Edward. She went and sat on the bench. He got a stick and a bucket of pucks, and then started just skating around with the puck, weaving in and out of invisible defenders.

Soon he began taking shots at the empty net. Most went in, a couple were missed, and one hit the crossbar with a loud clank that echoed throughout the room.

Bella watched closely. She didn't really get too many chances to watch Edward without the craziness of the games. She liked listening to the sound of his skates scraping against the ice.

"A little anxious today?" Carlisle had come up behind Bella.

"Yeah, he just couldn't sit around and wait anymore, but I don't want him to wear himself out," Bella said, moving over so he could sit with her, "But it's nice to see him on the ice again."

"He's pretty much a disaster when he can't play. Even during the off-season he gets anxious after a few days away from the ice. I remember taking trips when they were kids; if we were gone more than a couple of days, he was asking if there was a rink nearby, or he was strapping on the rollerblades as a substitute."

"That sounds like him," Bella said, laughing.

Her laugh caught Edward's attention. He came over to the bench. "Hey coach."

"Hey. You should take a break. Don't push it too hard on your first day back or you'll be out longer."

"I'm fine," Edward protested. Carlisle gave him a look, which was a mix between concerned father and strict coach. Finally, Edward relented, "Okay fine." He turned to Bella. "Want to go get coffee before my drill sergeant coach has a fit?"

"Sure," Bella said, shaking her head. She bent down to undo her skates, but Edward was already on his knees taking them off.

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "I think I can manage this on my own."

"Yeah but I like taking care of you."

"Fine," Bella said, but she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.

Afterward, Edward went back to the arena for practice and Bella got a call from Alice asking if she wanted to meet her and Rosalie for lunch.

"Sure, sounds great," she replied.

When she got to the restaurant, she spotted the two girls quickly. There was another person at the table, but she couldn't tell who it was, since the woman was sitting with her back to her. She knew it wasn't Esme. The hair color was wrong. When she got to the booth she realized it was Amy and she was holding baby Cody.

"Hey!" Bella said excitedly. She took a quick peek at the little blue bundle in Amy's arms. He was sleeping peacefully. "How's the adorable one? Everything been good since you brought him home?"

"Yeah, last night was rough. I think I got all of a half-hour of rest, but that's pretty normal with a newborn."

"He really is so beautiful. I almost wish I had gone to the hospital with you that morning," Alice said, smiling.

"Yeah Jasper was not going to allow that to happen," Bella replied. "Besides I think your morning turned out pretty good."

"It was acceptable," Alice joked.

Rosalie playfully slapped her in the arm. "We worked very hard to try and keep that little secret from you."

"You did not. None of you were very subtle. Bella and her ring sizing attempt to trick me. All those random hints here and there. You cannot keep secrets at all. The only thing I was surprised about was that it happened Christmas morning. I was expecting it..."

"At the reception?" Rosalie finished.

Alice eyed her for a second before realization dawned on her face. "Oh, that was the plan! I take it back! You really were good." She had a thoughtful look on her face for a few more seconds until the waiter came and took their orders.

When he left, Alice got 'that look' in her eyes and reached for her bag. She produced a bunch of pictures.

"Wedding photos?" Bella asked hopefully. She had been waiting to get her hands on these, partially for her articles, and partially for the pictures of her and Edward together.

"Yes wedding photos. The photographer got back to me yesterday. These are just a basic set that was given to me because I'm a pain in the ass. The complete set will come shortly." She began to pass them around and everyone looked through the pictures.

"Oh this one is precious, Amy said, holding up a picture of Emmett and Rosalie at the Reception table. He was leaned in, whispering something to her. It was a candid shot. Amy held another one up. "And here's me looking like an awkward whale."

"Amy, first of all, you were in labor at the time, and second. You look flawless," Alice quickly retorted. She was right, too. Even at nine months pregnant, Amy looked phenomenal.

"Oh, look at this one Bella!" Rose squealed. She held up a picture of her and Edward dancing. She had to admit it looked perfect. She didn't look awkward or like she was about to fall over. His arms were tightly wrapped around her and even in the photograph it was easy to see the emotion in his eyes when he looked at her.

"He is in so deep," Alice said, grinning.

"Wow, I don't know how I missed the way he looks at you, Bella," Amy added. "By the way, you were supposed to tell me the story. Now that I'm not partially high on meds, and reeling from giving birth, you have to spill."

Bella sighed and went into the story, trying to make it as short as possible. "Well I don't know what to tell you. It just sort of 'happened'. From the first day we first met, there was this great chemistry between us, and this was even before we knew who the other was.

Right up until Europe, that chemistry only got stronger, and, and even though I tried not to give in to those feelings, I couldn't help but like him. Then in Sweden, with the unknowing help of Rosalie and Emmett, we were sort of put in a 'do or die' situation."

She looked at Rose, who smiled knowingly.

"At that point, all common sense should have told me to leave it alone, but apparently I have no common sense.

After that, we just couldn't help but be together. We wanted to keep it casual, with no strings attached, but that fell through after only a few weeks, and now the situation is that neither of us knows what to do, because all we can think about is what will happen in June when I go home. I'm scared that no matter what choice I make, I'll be giving up something I can't live without.

If I go home, there's no Edward. Add to that, Miami just doesn't even feel like home anymore, but more like a burden. If it wasn't for my dream job being there, I'd be completely set on staying here, but if I do stay, I might never get this opportunity again." She suddenly realized, as she spilled out her story, that it was really nice to have girlfriends she could really talk to.

"So how long have you been in love with him?" Amy asked, eying her. She could also feel the eyes of Rose and Alice piercing her skin.

"Uh, a while," she replied.

"Be more specific," Alice pried in her usual way.

"Probably Detroit," I muttered.

"I can see that. You were so terrified when he went down. You were as pale as a ghost," Rosalie recalled.

"Yeah it felt like my world had been ripped out from under me."

"It gets easier. I used to tense up so bad every time something happened to Emmett, but eventually you just have to trust that he knows what he's doing, and that the medical staff is great at doing their job."

"Yeah, but that doesn't really take away the dread you have as it happens," Alice added.

"That's helpful," Bella laughed.

"It's true though. If you love someone, seeing them suffer is almost worse than suffering yourself."

"I agree. . When I was in labor, I counted the number of times Tristan said he wished he could trade places with me. The end count was sixteen," Amy laughed.

Rosalie rolled her eyes, "God, I can just imagine Emmett. They'd probably have to send him out of the room."

"Only because he'd have threatened every single member of the medical staff before your water even broke," Alice joked.

"Probably. That or I'd have him sent away because he was annoying the hell out of me," Rose snorted.

"Jasper would probably handle it pretty well. He's always so calm," Alice thought out loud.

"He'd be the suffer-in-silence type," Bella agreed.

"I don't know what Edward would do," Alice said.

"We'll find out someday," Rosalie replied as their food arrived. "Bella will tell us for sure."

"Maybe, if you're nice," Bella shot back.

The rest of lunch went really well. Cody woke up briefly, but was silenced by a bottle, fed to him by Alice, who seemed much more comfortable than Bella had been when she held him. Then Alice retold the proposal story to Amy. It was a good day, and a welcome distraction for Bella.

Bella spent the rest of the afternoon in her apartment, waiting for Edward to come home from practice. She watched TV for a little while, but eventually found herself restless. She tried tidying up, but since she'd been staying at Edwards for the past few days, the apartment was already pretty clean.

Finally, at about 2:30, there was a knock on the door. It was Edward. He looked amazing. He obviously came straight from the rink, and was still worked up. His skin glistened with the afterglow of exercise, and the smile on his face looked like it was never going to disappear

"So?" Bella asked with a grin.

"It felt great," he replied simply, "I wanted to get back home to you as soon as possible because I couldn't think of anyone I wanted to share this moment with more."

As a smile grew across Bella's face, he stepped inside of the apartment and closed the door behind him. His excited smile turned into a cocky grin.

"So, Bella Swan, I came straight from practice and it just so happens i haven'ttaken a shower," he said, and stepped closer.

"Oh, really? So maybe you should stay away and keep the smell of sweaty man away from me."

"Or you could help me shower. You know, I was injured and this was my first practice since, so I might need help getting clean. I might not remember how to get to all of those 'hard to reach' places."

"Uh huh. I think you need a lot of help with that, Cullen," Bella replied, walking towards the bathroom. He turned and quickly followed her. He watched as her shirt came over her head. She turned back to him in just her bra and jeans. "Are you just going to stand there?"

He quickly took off his sweaty shirt and then worked at the rest of his clothes. Bella turned on the shower and very quickly they were both under the steaming water, and Bella was pressed up against the shower wall.

He began by kissing and sucking on her neck and she tilted her head back.. His hands slowly roamed down her sides and cupped her bottom and squeezed,.

One hand came up to tease her nipple, while he began stroking her with the other. If it weren't for his body pressed up against hers she knew her knees probably would have given out as soon as he touched her.

Edward's other hand left her nipple and he pushed her legs apart and lifted one of her feet to rest on the side of the tub. He got down on his knees, never moving his finger from teasing her clit.

When he finally did move his finger, he replaced it with his tongue, and then used his finger to enter her quickly. Bella let her head fly back against the wall of the shower as she groaned. His ministrations, combined with the feel of the warm water hitting her body, meant she was really close to going over the edge rather quickly. Her hands threaded in his hair urging him forward and he knew how close she was.

He stopped. She groaned, and looked down to see the cocky grin on his face. "Not yet," he said as he stood up. She glared at him for a split second, but then decided two could play that game.

She met his gaze and gave him her own smirk. "Fine," she said, "It's my turn." As soon as she said it, his face fell slightly and she put her hand around his hard cock.

"Fuck," He hissed and realized he was in trouble. Bella slowly worked her hand up and down him and she knew that she was going to win their little battle when he put one arm on the wall, bracing himself.

"Do you give?" she asked.

He somehow managed to regain some composure and said, "Not yet," the same way had before.

Bella took the challenge again and decided that it was only fair for her to get down on her knees too. Her mouth closed over him, and she wrapped her hand around the rest. Slowly she created a rhythm with her hand and her mouth. After only a few seconds, she could tell she was going to win.

"Shit, Bella, okay, you win. Stop!" She took her hand off of him and slid him slowly out of her mouth.

Before she could even stand, she felt his hands under her arms and she was being lifted. Her back was against the shower wall and he lifted her high enough to get inside of her. She groaned as he filled her quickly, with one thrust.

All thoughts about her triumph were gone in an instant, and all she could think about was how she wanted Edward to move inside of her. He stood still, though. She opened her eyes and looked at his face.

"I could stand here all day you know."

"No fair, I already won," she protested.

Edward worked extremely hard to keep his face stiff and to look as unaffected as possible. "Fine. If you want to be like that," he said as he began to lift her off of him.

"No! Fine it's a draw," she rushed out.

"I can live with a draw," he said, and finally, he began to move.

Bella was louder than usual, and since they were in the shower, she wasn't trying to control the noise she was making. Her moans were getting more and more frantic and Edward knew she was close. He was pretty much at the end too and to make sure she got there with him, he brought one hand to her clit and pinched it as he made another thrust into her. She cried out and came, clenching her muscles around him. He was right behind her.

They both began to calm down a little as he lifted her off of him and set her unsteady feet back on the ground. Bella, who was still fairly clean from her earlier shower, got out first and allowed Edward to finish up getting the remains of hockey practice off of him. When he stepped out, she had finished drying her body and was working on her hair.

It was not going to get anywhere near dry just from a towel, so she didn't make too big of an effort. Edward dried his body off and tossed the towel in the hamper.

"I'm tired. Wanna take a nap?" he asked wearily.

"I told you that you'd get worn out if you tried to overdo it today."

"I don't think it was entirely the hockey that did it." The cocky grin was back.

"Fine. Fair enough," Bella said as she headed to her bedroom. She pulled back the covers and the two slipped in next to each other and fell asleep.


	22. Chapter 21 - A Night to Remember

Chapter 21 –

It was New Year's Eve, and Bella was at Edward's Apartment getting ready. She was a little worried, as there would be a lot of press at the front door interested in Edward Cullens' date. Their plan was that they asked, all anyone needed to know was that Bella was writing about the Cullens, and that as a close family friend, she was attending with Edward.

It sounded forced, but Bella was well aware that no one would actually believe that she was dating Edward anyway. He dated the likes of Tanya Denali. Why would the press believe he was dating a simple reporter like Bella Swan?

As she was putting in her last earring, she took a quick glance to make sure she looked acceptable. She didn't look quite as dolled up as she had for Rosalie's wedding, but the overall effect was nice.

Edward was sitting on his couch flipping through channels as he waited. Bella took a few seconds to look him up and down. The man could definitely work a tuxedo.

He glanced up and smiled. "You ready now?"

"Yeah, I think I'm good." She looked down her front and then nodded.

"You look amazing, Bella," he said as turned off the TV and got up to meet her.

"You say that every time I get dressed up. I'm starting to think I look like a mess every other day."

"You look perfect all the time, but if I said it every day, then it wouldn't feel special when I did say it."

He put his arm around her as they left the apartment.

"Good answer."

The two headed downstairs where they met Alice and Jasper at Jasper's car. Bella and Alice both sat in the back because Alice wanted to fix Bella's hair.

"Her hair looks fine Alice, don't ruin it," Edward said to his cousin.

"I'm not ruining it. I'm just adding a bobby pin here and there, and adding more hairspray so that it stays this pretty all night. By the way Bella, it does look really nice. My cousin is right about that."

They parked and everyone piled out of the car quickly so they no longer had to breathe in hairspray fumes, and Alice apologized for not thinking about that.

Rosalie and Emmett were just arriving as well, and the six headed in together.

"Bella, you look fantastic. Alice, you do too." Rosalie hugged them both.

"And as always, so do you Rose," Bella said as they pulled apart.

The six headed into the ballroom. It was decorated in a winter wonderland theme. Esme had really outdone herself, but Bella expected that, since Esme had impeccable taste.

They were early of, course, and no other guests aside from Esme and Carlisle had arrived. The staff was hurrying about trying to put together the last touches of the decorations.

The room had sparkling white fabric draped along the ceiling, and there were giant snowflakes hanging under the fabric. The tables were all draped with white tablecloths and the centerpieces were an assortment of white flowers in crystal vases. Along the auction tables were light blue and white candles. There were trees lining the walls of the room, and they were bare, like any tree would look in winter, with plastic sparkled icicles dangling from the branches. Hanging on the walls of the room were white lanterns with candles in them.

"Wow," Bella said as they walked in.

"She loved planning this party," Edward whispered to her.

"Oh you're here!" Esme said, when she noticed that they had arrived. "There really isn't too much that needs to be done. The people we hired are very efficient this year. If you'd like, you can go discuss the music choices with the DJ. Emmett, I know you weren't overly excited about the music last year."

"No I wasn't." He looked toward the young man behind the DJ booth and hurried over to give his opinion. The rest of the group followed, knowing they were not going to be much help otherwise.

A half hour later, the first few guests began to arrive, including the press, who were ready to take pictures and conduct interviews. Anyone who was anyone in Denver would be here tonight.

The entire group, Esme and Carlisle included, headed outside to do their duty of pictures and interviews.

Bella stood quietly next to Edward as he answered questions about when he would be playing again. Of course, he answered without actually giving a real answer. Bella knew they hoped he would return after the next one, but he didn't want to give a direct answer in case it didn't happen.

After a few more questions, one of the reporters asked about Bella.

"Edward, who is this delightful little guest of yours?" The man asking was about 45 and almost completely bald. He was the greasy old-guy type that Bella would have avoided if she saw him on the streets.

Edward smiled and with his arm around her back, brought her forward and right in front of the countless flashes and microphones that had been focused on Edward.

"This is Miss Isabella Swan. She is working with my family doing a great set of articles for a women's magazine. She's been with us for a few months now, and our family adores her."

"Miss Swan, how have you been enjoying your time with the Cullens?" a different reporter asked.

"They are a great group of people, and I'm overjoyed to get to spend so much time with them."

"So you and Edward are dating then?"

"We're friends, simply attending as the only guests without dates," Bella said smoothly. Edward could tell her years of living in the world of journalism had taught her how to handle those who worked in her field.

"Yes, we third wheels need someone to talk to when everyone else is all coupled up," Edward added. "Thanks everyone, enjoy your evening."

Edward led Bella away and they stopped for a few pictures in front of a wall set up for that reason.

As they headed inside, Bella noticed a commotion behind them as the press went crazy. When they were seated inside, Bella saw why; Tanya Denali was here.

"Oh, that's great. Please tell me she's sitting far away," Alice groaned to Esme.

"Other side of the room," Esme replied before turning to greet some friends.

"That's a plus," Emmett added.

The meal was served soon after and the evening progressed uneventfully. At one point, Bella and Edward took a few moments to go look at the auction items.

"Should I bid on an Edward Cullen signed jersey?" Bella joked.

"Naw. I know a guy. I can get you a good deal on one," He teased back, grinning. They both laughed.

"Well hello." A sweet-sounding voice came from behind them. Tanya.

"Miss Denali," Bella replied.

"Still happy together, are we?"

"Watch what you say Tanya," Edward warned.

"Why? My article is finished, remember? You have nothing to offer me anymore. There's nothing stopping me from revealing our little secret."

"Don't even think about it." Alice appeared from behind her. "If you do, then we will make sure the entire city also knows that Bella had to ask that favor of her boss.. Don't think I won't end your career if you hurt Bella or Edward."

Tanya stood silently seething for a minute, and then finally she sighed, "I never liked you Alice."

"Good, the feeling is mutual." Alice waved her along and Tanya walked off. She turned to Bella and her cousin. "So, how's the auction? Going to bid on the Emmett Cullen autographed stick?"

"If you want it, it's all yours," Bella said as she continued looking down the line of items up for bid. She came to the end of the line and found a gorgeous framed photograph of the skyline of Denver at sunset, with the mountains in the background.

"This is gorgeous." Bella looked down at the bids. They were already at $750.00.

"I'll bid on it for you," Edward offered.

"Not a chance. If I need a skyline picture of Denver, I can take one with my own camera. I do not need to spend almost a grand to get it." She saw the gears turning in Edward's head, "And don't you dare buy it for me anyway." His face fell, "Promise?"

"Fine, I won't buy you the picture you so obviously want to own," he mocked her, but then laughed.

They went around the floor for a little while longer, and Bella avoided the dancing; she spent most of the evening sitting and talking with Alice, Rose, Esme, or Amy. It was Amy's first evening leaving Cody for the evening, and she was slightly distracted, but Bella didn't mind keeping her company and talking about the baby.

Just before the end of the auction, she took a quick look to make sure Edward kept his word and she was pleased to see that Edward's name was not on list. She was amazed, though, that the bid was up to $1400.00. Sometimes she did not understand the rich. Sure, the picture was amazing, but couldn't they just give the money directly to charity and take a photograph themselves?

"Still looking at it? Let me buy it," Edward said as he came up behind her.

"I don't want it. How about you make a $1400 donation to your favorite charity and take me to a place where I can take my own picture of the skyline?"

"Because it wouldn't be the same. This $1400 is going to a good charity."

"No, the proceeds are going to a charity. This means that the money goes elsewhere first, and not all of it goes directly to the charity."

"It all goes to the charity as far as I know. Esme makes sure of it. She only takes donations for auction items."

"Still, don't bid on it. I don't need it. Bid on something you like."

"I already made a donation to the foundation; besides nothing here really appeals to me. I mean how big of a douchebag would I be if I bought my own memorabilia?"

"That's true." They saw the staff come to collect the auction papers. "Let's sit down and see who won what," Bella suggested. They headed back to the table where the whole family, except for Esme, who was on the stage getting ready to announce the winners, had returned.

They watched and clapped for the items up for auction. It came to the picture. "The top bid went to...oh, look at that, Miss Tanya Denali."

The crowd clapped.

Edward turned to Bella. "Now you really want it, don't you?"

She narrowed her eyes, "Shut up."

After the auction was finished, dancing began and Bella sat on the side of the dance floor with Amy, who didn't want to dance either. Tanya approached the two, smiling, and Bella saw Alice stop dancing to watch what was about to happen; she couldn't help but like how protective Alice was of her.

"Don't you think it was a lovely photograph, Miss Swan?" she asked casually.

"Of course it was. Esme picked it out from the artist's collection. She has amazing taste," Bella replied.

Amy smiled. "I can't imagine why you wanted it so much. I mean, you've lived here your entire life. I would have assumed you knew the skyline well," she added, noticing Tanya's tone.

"Well when you travel so often, it is nice to have a reminder of home."

"You're going to travel with a four foot wide framed picture when you leave Denver?" Bella asked.

Tanya suddenly blurted, "I'm sorry I need to go ladies. I just saw some friends I've been meaning to speak to all evening." She quickly stood up.

"Good riddance," Amy said when she was out of earshot.

"You don't like her either?" Bella asked.

"Have you spent any time with her at all?" The two laughed.

Alice came over. "What did the bitch want?"

"To brag about being the winning bidder for the picture. She must have heard that I wanted it,," Bella replied. "No worries. I can handle her."

"But I love making her life miserable! Next time include me. For now though, I am going to continue dancing with my wonderful boyfri- I mean fiancé," she giggled, and then hurried off.

The rest of the evening progressed fairly uneventfully. It was just before midnight, and Edward casually pulled Bella into the hallway. The crowd in the other room was counting down. Ten...nine... She and Edward were out the door...eight...seven...six...he pulled her into the conference room next to the ballroom...five...four...three...he closed the door and backed her up into it...two...one...

"Happy New Year Bella," he said, as his lips came down on hers. The kiss lasted a few seconds longer than the customary New Year's Kiss, but neither wanted to break it.

"Wow. Happy New Year," Bella said as they finally broke apart and their foreheads were touching.

"I've been trying to figure out all night how I was going to give you a New Year's Kiss, and eventually I realized that the only way to really give you the kiss you deserved was to make us disappear."

"Well I'm extremely glad you did," she replied, and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"We should get back. They're going to be taking a lot of pictures of the family, and they'll notice I'm gone," he said reluctantly.

She just nodded. They went back toward the banquet room where he took a quick look first, and then entered. She went in soon after.

Later, at about one o'clock, Bella was tired and ready to leave, but she could see Edward was still enjoying himself talking with Emmett, Jasper, Carlisle, and Tristan. Amy was still waiting with her, and she was exhausted.

Tristan broke from the group and came over to Bella and Amy.

"Tired?" he asked both of them, but his eyes never left his wife.

"Yeah, let's go home. Bella, did you want a ride? Edward might be here a while. We can take you home since it's not really out of the way."

"It's fine, I'll stay," she said, and yawned.

Tristan laughed. "C'mon. You're really tired and it's really no problem," Tristan offered.

She knew they were right. She was tired and she didn't want to drag Edward away.

"Alright. I'll just go say goodnight to Edward."

She went over to him and let him know she was leaving. He immediately said he'd go home with her, but she just shook her head and told him to stay. When he finally agreed, she hurried over to meet Tristan and Amy by the coat check.

Bella went to her apartment as soon as she got home and barely made it to her bed before collapsing, exhausted.

There was a horrible ringing coming from somewhere in Bella's room when she woke the following morning. It took her a few seconds to realize it was her phone.

"Shit."

She rolled out of bed and dug around in her discarded purse to find her phone.

"Hello?" she croaked out.

"Bella?" It was Angela. "Where have you been? This is the third time I've called."

"It's only..." she looked at the clock, "Oh, it's ten. Sorry."

"Yeah. So I need to know what is going on."

She paused, obviously waiting for Bella to spit out some answer to a question she didn't understand.

"What are you talking about?"

"Jessica called me this morning at nine a.m. our time."

"What was Jessica doing up at nine o'clock on New Year's Day? Wasn't she out late last night?"

"I don't know, and stop trying to change the subject."

"Angela, I really don't know what you're talking about, so how can I be changing the subject?"

Bella knew she sounded annoyed. This was not the tone she would normally use with her boss.

"Turn on your computer," Angela replied.

Bella groaned and made her way into the other room and turned on her computer.

"Go on any entertainment website." Bella did.

She did as she was told and that's when she almost dropped the phone.

"Shit!" she said, as she looked at the headlines.

One headline read:

"Denali Boyfriend prefers Brunettes."

Another said:

"Brunette Journalist Steals Hockey Player Boyfriend of Tanya Denali."

"So, can you explain?"

"No, I sure can't. Where is this all coming from? Tanya Denali and Edward Cullen haven't dated in forever, and they haven't even been in the same room since before he got injured in Detroit," Bella argued.

"Well, the media seems to think that they're in a relationship, and you are apparently a home wrecker." Bella did not reply.

"Bella, I've looked through everything, and there is nothing to even prove you and he are in any way more than friends. They're just some pictures of you walking into the event together. It's nothing more than a little hand holding, but 'sources' claim there was much more intimacy going on behind the scenes. Of course, the articles are all based on speculation, but in Denver it seems to be front page news."

"Angela, last night..."

"I know, Bella. You don't need to tell me details. You're just friends, and I can clearly see that. This is probably already blown way out of proportion. I mean, I looked in the paper owned by Denali's father and there is nothing in there about it at all, so that seems to scream that the story is not based in fact, however, some action needs to be taken in response to this."

Bella spoke up.

"I can promise you this will not happen again. Edward and I will not be photographed together anymore. The Cullen family will just make a statement on behalf of the situation and things should cool down. They are an influential group, and you've seen Carlisle Cullen in interviews. You believe everything he says just because he said it. Angela, I can get this fixed."

"I know Bella, but it's not up to me. My bosses are demanding this be dealt with; it's both of our jobs on the line now."

She took a deep breath.

" Bella, they want you back here in Miami tomorrow. They've already booked the flight. Just pack a small bag and they will make arrangements for the rest of your belongings. A more senior writer will be taking over the stories from now on. If you want to still have a job two days from now, you will be on that flight, and I'd spend that time trying to figure out how to explain everything to the powers that be."

"Angela..."

"I'm sorry, Bella, I wish it could be different. I know you too well to believe all of this, but the bosses don't want to have to do any more clean-up. The Jessica thing hurt the magazine, and they do not want anymore drama associated with our journalists. I'm sorry."

"Yeah. Okay, uh...I have to go. Bye." She hung up before Angela could even reply.

Edward was asleep and there was a pounding in his head that was not going away. He had way too much to drink the night before and was not entirely sure how Jasper had gotten him up to his apartment without incident. He remembered suggesting that he go to Bella's room, as it was on a lower floor, but he was glad sober Jasper had decided against that. She was definitely already asleep, and in his drunken state, he was pretty loud.

He clenched his eyes shut and rubbed his temples to try and get the pounding to go away, but the more he woke, the more he realized that the pounding was not coming from inside his head. It was coming from the door.

He rolled over and saw it was 10:20. It was not that early, but anyone in their right mind would not be pounding on his door at this time. The only person who might have done it to be funny would be Emmett, but Edward was sure he was probably even more the worse for wear than he was this morning.

Edward rolled out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans over his boxers. The pounding did not stop. He grumbled that he was coming but the knocking continued.

"Who the fuck..." He said to himself and looked out the peep hole. He was immediately wide awake.

Bella stood on the other side, tears falling down her face. He had the door open instantly and pulled her into his arms.

"Bella oh my god, what happened? What's wrong?" he asked, panicked.

He could feel her tears wetting his bare chest, but all he cared about was finding out what had made her so upset, and killing whoever was behind it.

"Bella, what's wrong?" he asked again, gently pulling her away from him. She looked up to meet his gaze and for the first time he noticed she was holding something in her hand. It was a newspaper, one of the smaller local papers that had often been called a few steps above a 'rag mag'.

She flipped it over and there staring back at him was a picture of him and Bella at the event. Tanya's picture was an insert in the corner. The heading read "Denali Boyfriend prefers Brunettes".

"Oh Bella, it's nothing. It will blow over. Don't worry. This paper is no better than 'The National Enquirer'."

"It doesn't matter; I have to fly back to Miami...tomorrow."

Edward instantly felt like his entire world was crumbling around him.

Uh oh! Yeah...did we see this coming? I hope not. Please keep reading! Tell me what you think!


	23. Chapter 22 - Home Again?

Chapter 22 –

"What do we do?" Bella asked as she held tightly onto Edward.

"I don't know. I don't want to lose you, Bella."

"I don't want to lose you either, but my job is on the line. If I stay, I'll be fired with no references."

He hadn't thought about that. It was one thing for her to possibly leave her job in the summer, but if she got fired, then she'd have a very hard time getting a new job, especially here in Denver.

He was quiet for a few seconds. "We need Esme. Now."

He pulled back from her, and gave her a comforting kiss on the forehead, but she felt anything but comforted. He hurried to his room and pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He brushed his teeth and was at the door with Bella in only five minutes. He grabbed his car keys and opened the door.

The two almost barrelled into Alice who was coming toward Edward's apartment.

"Oh my god, you guys, this is crazy, there are like 25 reporters downstairs. They were hassling me and Jasper, trying to get us to say something about the two of you."

She stopped them. "You two cannot go down together."

Edward said, "Bella will be fired if we admit to anything. She's being flown to Miami tomorrow. They're going o send another journalist to do the articles. We just need to find Esme and Carlisle. They'll know what to do. Have you spoken to them?"

"Not yet. I tried calling the house, but Mom and Dad are probably still sleeping. They were at the event until really late last night. I left at three and they were still there."

Alice thought for a moment.

"Uh, Edward, why don't you go down and take your car to the house. I'll bring Bella down and go meet Jasper. At least if they're distracted following you, they won't go after her."

Edward simply nodded, hugged Bella quickly, and got on the elevator.

"I have no idea how this happened," Bella cried as she sat down in the middle of the hallway.

"Guaranteed it was Tanya. It didn't show up in her dad's paper because he's an honest journalist. He wouldn't print simple gossip, but there were enough reporters there last night that she could have easily tipped them off. We have no proof though."

"No, we don't." She sighed. "Maybe we should have been more careful and not said it was a 'date'."

"Don't blame yourself, Bella. You haven't done anything wrong. Your bosses are overreacting. Esme will fix this. There is no way she will let it stand."

Bella could only hang her head in response.

"We should try and go down now. We'll go to the second floor, then take the stairs, and hopefully sneak away.

They got into the elevator and hit the button before anyone could get on with them. At the second floor they got off and Alice looked around.

"I think they must have followed Edward. Let's go."

The two snuck out and met Jasper at a rarely used door on the side of the building. He hugged Bella, telling her it would be okay. She felt a little better knowing everyone was on her side.

The drive to Esme and Carlisle's took almost no time at all, and Edward pulled in right after them. "How were the press?" Jasper asked.

"Fucking horrible. They stood in front of the god damned car. It took me forever to get out of the parking garage, and then I was followed around for a few blocks before I detoured and lost them."

Edward came up behind Bella and held her again. "How are you doing?"

"I don't know," she simply replied, and leaned back into him.

"Let's go wake up the parents," Alice said as she pulled out her keys and theyy all went inside.

Jasper went right to the coffee maker and began brewing a pot. Alice went upstairs to her parents' room.

"Knock Knock," she said as she opened the door and stepped into the room. "Mom, Dad?" she called.

Carlisle rolled over and squinted at the extra light. "Alice?" What are you doing here? We've barely gone to bed!"

Esme woke up and she saw the look on her daughter's face and sat right up. "What happened?"

"The press decided to run a story about Edward and Bella. It's all over the papers and Bella's bosses are making her go back to Miami," she quickly explained.

As she spoke, Esme was out of bed and already pulling on a robe. She hurried out, with Carlisle and Alice right behind her.

Esme got into the kitchen and pulled Bella into a hug. "Don't worry sweetie, this won't hold up. We signed an agreement and nowhere did it say that the magazine could change reporters at their discretion. I'm going to call your boss today."

"It's not even Angela, it's coming from above," Bella replied.

"Then I'll just have to talk to them," Esme assured her. Bella just nodded.

Esme pulled away and grabbed the phone immediately. She dialed, and then hurried into the next room. Everyone else sat in silence. Alice sent a text to Rosalie telling her what had happened, but was pretty sure she and Emmett were still asleep.

After about ten minutes, Esme came back into the room.

"So?" Edward asked.

"They are claiming that the agreement did say that they could pull the stories if they chose to, so if we don't accept the new journalist, they will simply pull the stories. We won't give up though; Carlisle, would you call and set up a press conference?

"I'll get right on it," he said, and left the room.

Bella, I'm so sorry, but I think that you need to go to Miami. We'll do the press conference and explain how upset we are about all of this hurting you professionally, and we will also give our opinion on the magazine's choice to pull the articles. I think there is enough of a following that the fan complaints might make them change their minds. Besides, no magazine wants negative publicity."

"That's the plan?" Edward complained. "How is that going to fix anything? Isn't there anything we can do to keep Bella here?"

"I don't think so, but we have the Florida road trip in two weeks. Hopefully we'll have it sorted out by then," Esme sighed. "The most important issue, after this one is resolved, is that the two of you need to decide whether to keep quiet, or tell the truth. The truth would be easier, but then Bella will probably lose her job."

"We can keep it quiet," Edward quickly replied.

"We'll have to," Bella added.

At Edward's apartment the next day, Bella sat silently on his couch as he got ready for the press conference. Her flight was in two hours and she was already packed. The entire Cullen family stood around the apartment doing various things to keep themselves occupied.

Edward was ready quickly and everyone got ready to leave. They decided they'd all take Bella to the airport to clearly show their support. They took two different cars and when they arrived at the airport, they were greeted by a crowd of photographers that somehow knew they were going to be there.

Bella checked in and dropped off her bag, and then went back to the Cullens to say goodbye. She felt completely powerless and didn't know what to do.

"It's going to be okay Bella. I promise. When this family decides to do something, we do it. You'll be back," Carlisle said, giving her a hug.

"You need to come back, okay?" It was Emmett's turn to hug her. "That idiot cousin of mine is going to fall apart with you gone, and I want that Stanley Cup!" Bella laughed. "I knew I could cheer you up a little, but seriously, come back here where you belong."

Jasper hugged her next and again told her it was all going to be okay. "They won't be able to keep you away for long. Alice and Esme want you here, and no one can say no to both of them."

Rosalie hugged her next. "I'm so sorry Bella, but I know you'll be back."

"Thank you. I appreciate what you're doing and I will try to keep the faith," Bella replied.

Esme was next. "Oh Bella, don't look so sad. Go get some sun and we'll see you in two weeks, when we bring you home. I'm determined to get you back. We need you here too much to let you stay on that beach."

Bella hoped she was right, because she knew that now Denver felt more like home than Miami.

Alice was next. "You'll be back. I need you in my wedding and nothing is going to stand in my way. Your bosses have never seen anything like us. They'll give in. You belong here, and we love you."

"I love you too."

Edward had stayed back during the other goodbyes. He was very aware of the reporters that were nearby. The rest of the family conscientiously put themselves between Edward and Bella, and the reporters.

He stepped toward her and she knew she was going to cry again. "We need to trust in Esme and Alice. It should work." He took one of her hands in his.

"I know, but if it doesn't..."

"It will," he cut her off, and then pulled her into a hug.

"Okay, but I was trying to say, if it doesn't, I want to come back here, if you want me to."

She closed her eyes and waited for his response.

He pulled her tighter. "There's nowhere else I'd want you to be."

"Okay, good. I want to see if I can still keep my job, but if I have to choose..."

"You won't have to," he said as he pulled back from her, not wanting to make things worse. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she replied.

The two stepped back reluctantly.

"I should go now," she said, looking tearfully at her second family.

"We'll see you in Florida in two weeks," Esme said.

Bella nodded and slowly turned and went toward the security checkpoint.

She went through security in a daze and boarded the plane. After take- off, she settled into her seat and tried to sleep. It wasn't working, so she turned on the personal television in front of her.

Flipping through the channels, she caught sight of Edward. He was walking with Esme and Carlisle to a podium. It was the press conference. She quickly grabbed her headphones and plugged them in.

"We simply want to make a statement regarding what has happened over the past several days. We are not taking questions today," Esme told the group of press members.

"First, we would like to apologize to Miss Isabella Swan. She has suffered wrongfully during this ordeal. We invited her into our family and home to get a clear idea of the life we live so that she could do her job. Over time, we have come to adore Bella and she has attended many family functions, including our son's wedding.

We were deeply upset about the gossip that appeared in yesterday's papers. As much as we would love for Bella to be a part of our family, it should not have to come at the expense of her job. Bella has been pulled from her assignment, and we were informed that either we accept another writer, or the stories would cease.

Unfortunately, we are forced to stop the articles that have been written for the last several months by Miss Swan, because we as a family feel that it is wrong to let someone else write them. We have already spoken to the magazine and indicated our choice."

She stepped to the side and Carlisle stepped to the microphone.

"I would also like to apologize to Miss Swan. As a family, we have chosen our careers and accept the fame that comes with it. We are upset that these articles have been such an invasion of privacy to our inner circle.

We gladly allow the press to attend functions and interview us whenever we are asked, but it can be very frustrating when things are taken too far. This situation is particularly disturbing because Bella did not choose that fame, and she was treated wrongfully simply because she was associated with our family. I sincerely hope that she is able to get through this ordeal no worse for wear, and our family will be there to support her, whatever the outcome."

Finally it was Edward's turn to speak.

"Miss Swan and I have become good friends since she came to work with us, and because of that, I invited her to attend the New Year's Eve Gala as my date. We received some questions about our relationship and answered them openly to the press that evening, and I deeply regret that those answers were so blatantly ignored by the reporters of this city.

I also would like to clear up any rumours in regards to Miss Tanya Denali. Tanya and I are also not in a relationship, so that part was also falsified. I wish the best for both Bella and Tanya, , and I hope that in the future, the only reason my family and I will end up in the newspapers, will be for what we do on, and around the ice. "

Esme stepped forward again. "Thank you for your time, ladies and gentlemen. Again, we will not be taking any questions at this time."

The crowd began asking questions regardless, and Bella watched the three ignore them and walk away.

The feed cut and went back to a local sports reporter. "That was Avalanche Superstar Edward Cullen, his Aunt and Publicist Esme Cullen, and Uncle and Coach Carlisle Cullen, addressing the issue of Isabella Swan. Edward Cullen is expected to return to the ice this week, and everyone is wondering if his personal issues will affect his performance."

Bella turned off the TV. She didn't care to listen to him talk about how she might affect his performance.. . She pulled out her headphones and turned to her side and tried to get some sleep.

Bella woke as the airplane was landing in Miami. She took a glance out the window and looked at the ocean and the beach. She laughed at herself bitterly, marveling at how she never thought she'd be wishing for snow instead of sand.

She got off the plane silently. She nodded to the flight attendant and pilot at the entrance, and then made her way to the baggage claim. Angela was standing there to meet her.

"I thought you might want a ride," she said quietly.

"I was going to take a cab."

"Now you won't have to."

"Great," Bella said sarcastically. "Angela, I'd rather just go to bed and deal with all this work stuff tomorrow."

"Bella, you rented out your apartment until June. Your stuff is in storage."

"I know that. I'm getting a hotel room for the night. Like I said, I'll deal with everything tomorrow."

"Bella you know I didn't want this to happen."

"Yeah I get it Angela. It isn't your fault and your hands are tied, but I'm just too tired to deal with anything right now."

"They want me to ask you if you knew about the press conference. That could really hurt the image of the magazine. The managers are furious they had no warning."

"Well then, maybe the managers shouldn't have pissed off Esme Cullen," Bella replied, as she spied her bag and hurried to grab it. "What time am I meeting everyone tomorrow morning?" she asked..

"The meeting's at ten."

"I'll be there." She turned away from Angela and went toward the door that marked the cab area.

The following morning Bella made her way to her old office. She got into the elevator and just as the doors were about to close, a hand blocked them and in stepped Jessica.

"Bella, I heard you were coming back today. How was the snow?" she asked far too cheerfully.

"It was great. You should try a trip there. Your skin could use a break from the sun. I can already see you've got some premature wrinkles from too much sun exposure," Bella replied with the grin as Jessica glared at her.

When the elevator doors opened and she got out, everyone stopped what they were doing and glanced at Bella, whispering to each other. She hated being the center of the gossip. She swiftly went to Angela's office and her assistant told her to take a seat.

The managers called her in and she saw that the entire executive staff was there.

"Good morning Miss Swan," one of them said.

"Good Morning," she replied.

The meeting went by extremely quickly. She was grilled about what happened, and was glad that Angela was defending her, but more than anything, she was just ready for the entire thing to be over.

"In regards to yesterday's press conference, were you aware it was going to take place, Miss Swan?"

"I knew they had scheduled a press conference, but I was not informed as to what was going to be said."

She wasn't exactly telling a lie. She had not known the _exact words_ they were going to use.

"It was a very negative response from the Cullens. They have turned the entire situation against the magazine. This could hurt sales."

"Yes, but the loss of the articles would be horrible too," Angela cut in. "We are all aware Mrs. Cullen has refused an alternate writer, so they will not be completed. If we leave the story unfinished, it will create more tension with the fans."

"After this disaster, we cannot send Miss Swan back to Denver."

"Yes, but the Cullens don't want anyone else."

The conversation went back and forth as the board members debated what to do. Even though Bella was the topic of conversation, they never once consulted her or asked her opinion. They talked about her as if she wasn't even there.

Finally the head of the Magazine spoke up. "I think that we should see what kind of publicity the press conference gives the magazine, and from there we will decide what to do. Until then, Miss Swan will take over her old position in Self-Help with Miss Stanley."

"With Miss Stanley?" Bella blurted out. All eyes went to her.

"Miss Swan, you're lucky we aren't suspending you. The fact that we are now going to pay both you and Jessica to do a job that only requires one person is quite generous I think," one of the members said.

"Of course," She said through gritted teeth, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"So why don't you go meet with Jessica and discuss the next issue?" he said condescendingly. With that, Bella was dismissed. She glared at Angela, her eyes pleading for help. There was no way she and Jessica could work together.

She went to her former desk and sulked. She checked her office email and found it depressing that in her months away, there was very little sent to her. She felt even more that her life was in Denver now.

Angela returned from the meeting and came and stood by her desk.

She looked at her pointedly and said, "I am not working with Jessica."

"I know that, but until we can get this sorted out, we need to at least pretend that you're going along with the program. I'll keep you busy doing stuff at the office until then."

"Angela, if it comes down to it, I will not go back permanently to Self-Help, or to being an office assistant."

"I know and I'll do everything I can to get you back to finishing those articles. They are extremely popular."

"I know, I've seen the responses, but I just don't know..."

"Why don't you look at some of the responses we received this morning? I think it will cheer you up. Denver loves that family, and the whole country seems to have decided to stick by them."

Angela walked away.

Bella turned to her computer, curious about what people were saying.

There were a ton of responses regarding the articles. Some were not overly friendly to Bella, claiming her unprofessionalism, but most were much better.

One, from a Sharon in California read:

_My husband and I are big hockey fans, which is why I was very interested in the articles. We are not fans of the Colorado Avalanche, but we do respect the Cullen family, and I was very upset to hear that you would not be completing the series. _

_I think it's unfair that you are not allowed to finish them, as they were extremely interesting to read. I am glad though, that the Cullen family has decided not to continue with a different columnist. Good luck with your future writing endeavors, and I hope to find new articles by you in the near future._

Another came from a woman named Ashlynn in Denver.

_Miss Swan, _

_I was very sad to see that the articles on the Cullen Family are ending. It was great to see such positive pieces about three women who are so important to the city of Denver. I am saddened that it is because of gossip, and like the Cullen family, I am sorry that your reputation has been called into question, as it seems none of it was your fault. I hope that your company will allow you to return to Denver because it would be a great loss for them not to be published at all._

Bella read a few more and they did brighten her mood..

She left earlier than she normally would, trying to figure out her living situation until things got sorted out. She finally called on an ad that was offering a temporary furnished suite. The owner was gone for three months on business in Europe.

Bella called the sister to the owner and they met for coffee. She explained her situation and the two agreed to talk again in the morning. Bella hoped she wouldn't need the home for more than two weeks, but at least if things fell through, she'd have the option of a longer stay.

She went back to the hotel after the meeting. She knew there was a game on that night, and Edward was supposed to be returning.

Edward was back for the game, but his time on the ice was brief. Even so, the game was fairly exciting. The Avalanche lost in a shoot-out in the end, but she was glad to see Edward back on the ice.

About a half-hour after the game was finished, Bella was in bed ready to sleep when her phone rang. She knew it was Edward before she even looked at the screen.

"Hey," she said as she put the phone to her ear.

"Hey Beautiful, how was your day?"

"Horrible, but I watched your game! I'm so glad you were back out there; the crowd seemed to feel the same way. "

"It felt great. Even though we lost, it felt good to be on the ice again. I miss you though. It was so odd not having you here to cheer me on."

"I miss you too," she said. "Has it really only been a day?"

"Yeah, I know. How will I survive two weeks or more without you here? I'm not gonna make it," Edward complained. "I know, but it's our best bet right now," she said, trying not to cry.

The two talked for another hour before they finally decided they should probably get to sleep.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too, and it will all be okay," she whispered back.

"I promise we'll get you back here," he said.

"If anyone can, I know you family will make it happen. I trust you."

They hung up and she laid in bed staring at the ceiling, trying to believe the words she just said.

so our couple is not in a great spot, but I promise it will be okay!


	24. Chapter 23 - Reunion

Thanks again everyone for continuing to read this story. I feel really blessed that it is getting such a great response here. Hockey means a ton to me, and I am glad that you have gotten into this story!

Please review. I love to read them.

Chapter 23 –

Bella sat at her desk mentally blocking out whatever Jessica was saying about the column. It had been thirteen days since she left Denver and she just did odd jobs the entire time.

"Bella?" She realized Jessica was looking at her, expecting a response. Bella just looked her in the eyes and blinked several times. "This is ridiculous, you're supposed to be lightening my load, but you've done absolutely nothing since you got back. If you expect me to put your name on it, you're insane."

"Jessica, I would never want you to put my name on advice that you've given people." Jessica stared at her for a second, then finally clued-in that she was being insulted, and dramatically turned away. Bella rolled her eyes, but secretly delighted in her success in getting Jessica to leave.

She took a look over at the boardroom. The magazine owners and top employees were in a meeting. They were discussing the Hockey articles. Bella knew they were between a rock and a hard place. The readers were angry since the latest magazine went out the week before without the wedding article even though Bella had finished and submitted it. . .

She was, of course, interested in the outcome, but was extremely distracted by the fact that the Avalanche would be landing in Miami in only a few hours for their game the following night. Bella was nearly bouncing in her chair she was so excited to see Edward again. She was also aware they needed to play it cool while he was here, but she also wasn't exactly sure how to go about it. Upon seeing Edward, it would take all her effort not to jump on him and strip off everything he was wearing in thirty seconds flat.

They had spoken on the phone every day since they'd been separated, and after about two days they had gotten into some extremely good phone sex. Just thinking about it made her extremely hot and bothered, and this morning she had to make an effort to focus on anything but sex with Edward. It wasn't easy.

As her mind drifted to their conversation the night before, in which Edward had told her all the things he was going to do to her as soon as he saw her that day, she didn`t notice a petite brunette practically knock down Jessica in her trek towards Bella.

"Bella" She exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around Bella's neck.

"Alice?" Bella was shocked because she was sure Edward had told her the ladies wouldn't be arriving until after the players. "What are you doing here?"

"We're here to see you of course! Look at you, you've been in Miami for two weeks and you don't even have a tan."

"Edward said you guys weren't coming until later tonight."

"Nobody told you?" Rosalie asked as Esme gave Bella a hug.

"Uh, no...told me what?" Bella asked.

"Your boss called me yesterday. I'd say they've noticed the uproar since they dropped your articles. Where are they holding the meeting?"

"Uh, they're in there right now." Bella nodded toward the meeting room.

"Right now?" Rosalie said loudly, catching the attention of several columnists. "That's ridiculous. They're holding a meeting regarding your position and they aren't even including you."

"It's a management issue now."

"Well I'm not talking to anyone unless you're involved," Alice replied, sounding like a spoiled child.

Esme added, "They told us to be here at eleven, and we are a little early, but let's go see if they're ready to speak to us."

Alice and Rosalie headed over to the meeting room. Esme stayed back with Bella, as they walked behind them. "Them scheduling this meeting is a good sign, Bella."

"Yeah, but what about the fact that I've been lying to everyone? They'll find out eventually," Bella whispered, making sure no one heard her.

"That is none of their business. They can deal with it when the time comes," Esme replied. "You've been doing your job well and the fans have definitely acknowledged that, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"I hope you're right." They opened the door as the group approached.

"Welcome and thank you for coming," the owner of the magazine said, looking only at Rose, Esme and Alice. Finally, she turned to her.

"Miss Swan, did you need something?"Bella was not impressed; she had always liked the owner, but there were only so many times you could be treated like dirt before you stopped liking a person.

"Actually, we will not be a part of this meeting if Bella is not included as well," Esme said strongly.

"I guess we can accommodate her, but you'll need to grab a chair Miss Swan."

"Of course." She stepped out and grabbed the nearest chair which, she noted happily, came from Jessica's desk, and rolled it inside the boardroom.

"We've asked the three of you to come in today to see if we may come to some sort of understanding in regards to continuing the articles."

"We have given you the conditions upon which we would allow the articles to continue. We will not allow another columnist except Bella to write them."

"What if she and another journalist pair on the project?" A member of the board offered.

"Another Journalist?"

"Only to oversee and make sure that no boundaries have been crossed. Bella would continue to write the articles.."

"No," Esme replied.

"You don't even want to consider it?" A third board member spoke up; obviously they had been sure she would accept the compromise.

"No, because Bella hasn't done anything wrong, so she doesn't need a babysitter."

"The press got wind of a relationship and that is all that matters. Bella loses her credibility as a writer in that situation, even if the relationship did exist..."

"Whether or not the relationship existed is not the issue. It would not change her ability to write a story about my daughter, daughter-in-law and me. This situation only has to do with you not wanting bad press associated with your magazine. I do not see how you can deny that, especially since you're now looking for a way to have Bella continue writing the articles. You're not in a position to barter with us. If you want the articles written, it will be under our conditions, or we walk, and I'll bet if I approach a different magazine they would be more than happy to pick up Bella and the articles where they left off."

The board sat silently, obviously not expecting this reaction. "The damage that Miss Swan has caused with the press in Denver will make it nearly impossible for her to continue the articles."

"It has been two weeks and we hardly hear of it anymore. If Bella comes back, for a few days there would be speculation and questions, but it will blow over. Denver is more concerned with the way Edward plays on the ice than with who he is or isn't dating."

"There seemed to be sufficient press during his relationship with Miss Denali. How do you know it wouldn't continue when Miss Swan and your nephew were spotted together?"

"Because Bella does not desire to always be in the spotlight, while Miss Denali loves being the center of attention," Alice replied.

Esme took a deep breath. "We're in town for two nights. These are our terms: Bella returns alone and resumes the articles and next month will feature one big story covering the space of two, as one month has already been lost. Give us a call if you agree to our terms, and if you do, we'll be taking Bella with us to continue on the road trip. A lot has happened in two weeks and she'll need to catch up."

Esme had said all she needed to say, so she smiled, stood up and said a polite goodbye to everyone. Bella was pretty sure in that moment Esme would have made a great lawyer. The group in the room were stunned that the meeting had gone so far astray, and they were not going to get their way. It was clear that the magazine needed the articles more than the Cullens did.

Esme popped her head back in. "Also, we'd like to take Bella to lunch. Can she be spared for the afternoon?"

"Oh, well I'm not sure. She's working alongside Miss Stanley in our Self-Help area. They need to get organized for next month's issue."

"I'm sure Miss Stanley can handle it on her own for one afternoon. After all, if I'm not mistaken, she has been writing it on her own for several months now," Rosalie smiled. "Since a previous White House event, I believe." She couldn't help reminding them that what she had done was nothing compared to Jessica, and Jessica still had a job.

"Of course," The owner replied, "She should be fine. Miss Swan, just inform Miss Stanley you're heading out."

"Yes, of course," Bella replied. They left the room. Bella glanced at Jessica who was looking for her chair. "Have a nice afternoon Jessica," she called as she left.

When the elevator doors closed, Alice jumped on her. "They are totally going to give in. We fixed it!"

"Nothing is decided yet," Bella reminded them.

"You worry too much, Bella," Rosalie laughed, "Esme had them eating out the palm of her hand. They can't afford to say no."

Esme said, "Don't worry about it. Forget about work until tomorrow. We're going to lunch, and then to the airport." Bella grinned. "I can see you're as anxious as he is," Esme added.

"Uh, yeah. I don't even know how I slept at all last night."

"I don't think Edward even did," Rosalie laughed. "Emmett was complaining about him being irritable."

"Emmett used the word 'irritable'?" Alice sounded shocked.

"Well no, but 'irritable' is much classier than the words he used." Everyone laughed and Bella couldn't help but let the feeling that it was all going to be okay wash over her. Moments like this felt right, and she couldn't help but hope for a million more like it.

They went to one of Bella's favorite cafes and it felt odd but fun to get to show them around. She didn't see Miami as her town anymore, but she still did love some of the little details about it.

Their lunch was quick. Alice checked her phone and saw that the team flight was in early, so they finished up with their meals – Bella hardly touched hers she was to nervous and excited – then headed to the airport.

The team was picking up their baggage when they arrived. Bella picked out Edward right away, but he was facing the carousel. She stood back. One by one the team got their baggage. Emmett turned around first, saw them and smiled. He glanced at his cousin but didn't say anything. Jasper soon followed, and finally Carlisle.

Edward's bag was one of the last down the chute. When he finally turned around, his eyes met Bella's almost instantly. She could tell just by the look on his face that he was trying just as hard as she was not to make a scene in the middle of the airport.

He slowly walked over to them. He hugged Esme, Alice and Rosalie before doing the same to Bella. "God I've missed you. You smell amazing," he whispered in her ear.

"I smell amazing?" she said as they pulled apart, not wanting to, but knowing it was necessary. There is a time limit to hugging without looking too intimate.

"Yes, and my pillows no longer smell like you, so I miss it," he said quietly.

"That makes you sound so gay," Emmett cut in. Bella glared at him and Edward shot daggers at him. Rosalie hit him in the side of his head with her purse. Everyone laughed.

"Let's get on the bus and go to the hotel,' Esme suggested.

The team went on their bus and Bella went in Esme's rental car. When they arrived, the team went to get situated in their rooms, and Bella went with Rosalie.

"So, I don't think Carlisle would mind if, say, Emmett spends the night in my room."

"Oh yeah?" Bella replied suggestively.

"Oh yeah, and then poor Edward would be all alone in his room."

"Someone should keep him company," Bella grinned.

"Oh, definitely."

They smiled knowingly at each other.

They met up with Alice and Esme to go to the beach while the team went for a short skate, and then the press conference.

"You need some sort of a tan Bella," Alice complained.

"I don't tan, besides an hour on the beach is not going to help my pastiness. "

"It can't hurt," Rosalie jabbed.

Later, the group went for dinner together. Bella sat next to Edward and she was ready to kill himwhen he decided to run his foot up and down her lower leg, and his hand found her thigh. She was pretty sure that if he continued, she'd orgasm at the dinner table. To stop him she glared at him then kicked his shin. He stopped both actions immediately

"You'll pay for that later."

"Can't wait."

The two had practically forgotten there were several others at the table. Alice felt the need to remind them. She leaned toward her cousin. "Edward, if you jump her at the table, then I'm pretty sure the press will stop believing you're only friends." If looks could kill, Alice would be so dead. "And you'd better put your shoe back on." Bella burst out laughing.

After dinner Bella went upstairs with Rosalie, but the moment they were alone, Bella started pacing.

"You need to sit Bella, you're practically oozing sexual tension and it's going to drive me crazy. Calm down."

"When was the last time you and Emmett were apart for two full weeks?"

"I'm well aware I'd be the exact same way, but since it's you and not me, it's irritating." She threw a pillow at Bella and it hit her square in the stomach. "So sit down."

The words barely left her mouth when there was a knock at the door. Bella opened it and Emmett stood there grinning. He held out his room key. "Go make him less bitchy, please."

"Bitchy?" Bella asked.

"Yes, he's worse than a chick PMSing."

"Excuse me?" Rosalie glared.

"My cue to leave." Bella grabbed her purse and headed to Edward's room.

She knocked quietly on the door, and almost instantly Edward swung it open, as if he'd been standing directly on the other side, waiting. She was quickly pulled inside and the door closed behind her. He pushed her up against the door and his lips were instantly on her. "God you taste as good as you smell," he whispered as he moved his lips down her jaw and onto her neck.

Bella's hands slipped under his shirt and she felt up the muscles on his back as he let her head fall back.

She felt his hands reach down below and cup her bottom and lift her up. She expected to be moved to his bed, but instead he set her down on a hard flat surface that she realized was the TV stand.

Edward began kissing her lips again and she felt his fingers working at the button and zipper of her jean skirt. When he got them undone, his hands went behind her back again, and he put his hands back around to her bottom, but this time slipped them under her skirt and underwear. He squeezed lightly and Bella giggled into his lips. She felt him smile as well.

She lifted herself up off the table enough for him to slide her skirt and panties down. They fell to the floor and she settled back down onto the table. The contrast between the cold table surface and his warm hands made her shiver.

He began to unbutton her shirt. He had it open quickly and then undid her front-clasp bra. She felt the cold air-conditioned air touch her and again she shivered.

One of Edward's hands went to cup her breast, and the other went between her legs. He rolled her nipple between his thumb and finger while doing the same with her clit. The whole time, he continued kissing her neck.

Bella leaned back against the wall and moaned his name. "Edward, please...I want you inside me...now." He looked up and grinned.

"Yeah well remember when you thought it'd be funny to kick my shin?"

Bella groaned. "Can't you torment me later? Right now I just want you in me," she whined. It made Edward laugh even harder.

He kissed her quickly. "Okay, but you'll pay for it later. That's a promise." He moved her right to the edge of the TV stand, which, he noted, was at a very convenient level for this activity.

Bella's hands went to his jeans and undid his belt and unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. As soon as he was no longer confined, his hard length was out and ready for her. She wiggled even farther to the edge of the TV stand and nearly fell off, but Edward held on to her.

Her movement, and his to keep her steady, brought her in contact with his hardness and Bella moaned again.

To tease her even further he rubbed himself along her, but didn't enter her right away. She pushed closer to him, silently begging.

He finally decided it was time to stop teasing. He quickly entered her, causing her to cry out. He cut her cry off with his mouth. Her hands went back under his shirt and dug into his back. He was sure she was probably leaving marks, but he didn't care at this point.

His hands went back to what seemed like his new favorite place, as he lifted her in time with his thrusts so that he went even deeper. He felt her fingers dig further into his back and he knew she was close.

He thrust a few more times and soon they were falling, one right after the other. Her head dropped forward and rested on his chest. He kissed her lightly on the top of her head and then rested his chin where he had just kissed.

They didn't move for what seemed like several minutes, but was actually mere seconds. The air conditioning was still blowing in the room and he could feel her balmy skin getting cold.

"We need to warm you up, Beautiful." She made a slight noise in response. He lifted her up again and sat her down on the bed that had already been turned down.

He slipped off her opened shirt and bra. "That is not going to warm me," she pouted.

"That's my job, remember?" He quickly slipped off his shirt and his jeans, and then turned the air conditioning down slightly. He climbed into bed next to her and pulled her into his arms while covering the two of them with the blankets.

"God I've missed you so much."

Bella didn't reply, but snuggled close to him. After a few minutes he began to grow hard again. Bella grinned then turned her head to face him. "Are you going to torture me now?"

"I've got all night to torture you. No need to rush." He intended to relax and doze for a short time before they started again.

"Good." Bella replied with a wicked grin. Edward eyed her questioningly. "That means I can torture you."

Suddenly he was aware there would be no sleeping anytime soon.


	25. Chapter 24 - Back in the Game

Chapter 24 –

"Oh my god, what is that sound? Please make it stop," Edward mumbled. Bella was curled up in his arms.

"My phone. Where did it end up?" She peeked out from under the covers and did a quick look around, then got out of bed, went over to a pile of clothes on the floor and found the phone just as it stopped ringing.

"Where did that ringtone come from? Did work make you get a new phone?"

"No, it's the office. I wanted it distinctive so that I could screen if I wanted to.."

"Did you ever consider that if you wanted to ignore work, maybe you shouldn't use the most annoying ringtone ever created?"

"Not until right now, no. It's only for Jessica." She put the phone down and headed back to the bed.

"Does she call a lot?"

"Only all the time. You'd swear I was her assistant." She was curled back up in Edward's arms when it went off again. "I'm going to kill her."

She was back out of bed and grabbed the phone. "What the hell do you want?"

"I don't know what makes you think you can talk to me like that, but Angela told me to call you and get you into the office as quickly as possible."

"Why?"

"I don't know, Bella, I am not your secretary."

"I'll call Angela directly." Bella hung up without saying goodbye and began dialing Angela.

When Angela answered, Bella jumped right in. "Hey, it's me. What's going on?"

"Thank God we got a hold of you. They agreed to Mrs. Cullen's demands. You're back on the articles and weneed you in right away. They need to do the layout for next month's article, and it is only half-written. You need to give them an outline. I don't care if you have to pull it out of your ass, we need another full length piece and it needs to be written by tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll be in as soon as I can, but I really don't know how my being there is going to help."

"You just need to come in and get everything sorted out and then you can leave."

"Okay. I'll see you soon." She hung up. Edward was sitting up in the bed now.

"So?" He asked nervously.

Bella grinned. "Esme's a genius. I get to come home." He was out of bed in an instant, pulling her into his arms.

"That's the best news I've heard in weeks." His hands ran up and down her back and his lips found her neck.

Bella could tell where this was leading. "No, wait." She pushed back from him. "I have to go into the office. I just got my job back, and I don't want to lose it again. I need to shower. I smell like sex."

"That's not a smell you need to wash off. Skip the shower. Better yet, how about I shower with you?" He took her by her wrist and pulled her toward him again.

She lifted his arm and slipped from his grip, hurrying to the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

"You're killing me, Bella," she heard through the door.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise. Besides, it's a really long drive from Sunrise to Miami." .

When she came out, Edward was dressed. He didn't bother to shower since they had a morning skate at ten. "You could have gone back to bed. You don't need to be up this early."

"Yeah, but I'm a little too keyed up to go back to sleep. Might as well get on the ice."

"I figured you'd be exhausted. I thought you had an extra workout last night. Or were you practicing with your other girlfriend?"

"Well I guess she gives me a harder workout than you."

"Douchebag." He pulled her into another hug.

"I'm so glad you get to come home with me," he whispered into her ear.

"I know. I don't think I've felt so relieved in months. Will I see you before the game?"

"Probably not, but afterward? We could go to your apartment?"

"It's not really my apartment. I've only been there for two weeks."

"I know, but you'll never see your neighbors again, so we can be as loud as we want."

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a reply. I'm late. I'll see you tonight." She gave him one last kiss and hurried out the door. As she left, she called Esme.

After Bella headed to the office Edward went down to the ice. When he got to the rink, Carlisle was already there, but that was no surprise.

" Esme told me the good news about Bella." he said when Edward walked in.

"I know. It was a good morning. She's at the office now." Edward said and sat down on the bench.

"How are you guys going to deal with everything? They'll be hounding the both of you," Carlisle said as he laced up his skates.

"I know that, but it will eventually die down. The tough part will be when her job is completed."

"It'll be worth it."

"Yeah, I know." Edward headed out to the ice and Carlisle followed. The two began skating around, passing, and shooting. It was something they'd done countless times since Edward was a kid.

After what seemed like only a few minutes, which in reality was probably closer to a half-hour, Emmett and Jasper appeared.

"You're sure energetic this morning." Emmett joked. "You didn't make her do all the work, did you? That's not very fair." He received a single finger reply.

"How is Bella?" Jasper asked.

"She's good, and she's back at work. Her bosses gave in."

"About time. So she's going to finish the road trip and then come back to Denver?"

"That's the plan. ""That's good." Jasper replied, and then took his place at the net as he and Emmett joined in the skate.

Bella made it into the office by nine o'clock and hurried to Angela's office.

"Do you have any idea what you're going to do for the remaining articles?"

"Well I'll probably write about the amazing job Esme did with the New Year's charity Gala. If it wasn't for the disaster that followed, there would have been a big article about that anyway. It'll fit nicely with the wedding article."

"I don't think the owners would want you to bring up New Year's at all. It would simply bring back all the drama of the firing and the lack of a January article."

"But if we hide, they'll be relentless. If I write about the gala, then it doesn't look like we're hiding. We put a positive spin on the story and get the focus where it should be. This event is Esme's pride and joy, and by ignoring its existence, it would be an insult to her. I can write about the event without making it all about the drama."

"I know, but you're on thin ice Bella. Just write what they want you to write. At least for the rest of these articles. When they're completed we'll get you back here and you can write whatever you want." That took Bella by surprise. She thought that once she had her job back everything would go smoothly, but Angela was her friend as well as her boss, and she hated lying to her and stringing her along just for personal gain. She needed to let her know what was going on.

Bella closed Angela's door and locked it. Her talk with Esme had gone the way she'd planned and it was time to put it in action.

"Angela, I think we need to talk, but only if you can promise me as a friend that what I'm about to tell you won't leave this room." Angela eyed her worriedly.

"I promise. What's going on?"

"There's a really good chance I won't be coming back in June. I'm pretty sure I'm going to stay in Denver."

"What?" Bella had no idea what she'd been expecting, but by the look on Angela's face, she was not even close. "Do you have a job lined up there or something?"

"No, not a job. A life," Bella replied, almost ashamed, but she couldn't lie to her friend anymore. She looked down at her feet.

"It's true isn't it?" Bella finally looked up at Angela. "The story about Cullen. You're dating him. I knew something was different when you came back and I should have known right away that it was a guy." Bella still couldn't say anything even though Angela sounded merely curious, and not angry.. "Tell me I'm wrong."

"I'm not telling you this because I'm ashamed at what I've done. We didn't plan it, and I don't think I've overstepped any boundaries. My personal life hasn't affected my writing. ."

"Bella, I'm not mad. I'm happy for you, really. I don't think you've done anything wrong, and as a friend I want you to be happy. I won't tell anyone, but you have to keep it quiet until these articles are completed."

"I know. We already agreed to that it would be for the best," Bella replied. She was glad she told Angela. It was like a huge weight was lifted off her chest..

Angela laughed. "You know I never thought I'd have to deal with any drama from you. Jessica yes, but not you. I should have clued-in when he answered your phone in Europe and you refused to come home to interview the first lady," she laughed.

"Thanks for understanding. Lying to you was killing me. I don't care about the higher ups. They can go to hell. You're the only person who has been honest and stuck by me. When I leave your office I don't feel like the first thing you're going to do is gossip about me. I think even if the whole thing wasn't true, I wouldn't want to keep working here. These last two weeks have been miserable."

"I know what you mean. If I didn't love my job so much, maybe I'd leave too. I guess I'm just comfortable here, you know?"

"Yes I do. I'm terrified about what's going to happen next, but kind of excited about it."

"Good for you Bella." Angela replied. "Listen, I'll tell the owners the plan for the next article. I think by now they realize they'd better not mess with you. Why don't you go meet up with the Cullens and sort out what needs to get done for the upcoming content and I'll give you a call later."

"I have a better idea. I talked to Esme and if you are interested, you and Ben are invited to watch the game tonight in ourbox suite. I know Ben likes hockey.."

"Are you sure? I don't want to cause any awkwardness."

"It was Esme's idea to invite you. She's aware of all you've done for me and she wanted to show her appreciation."

"Figured you could bribe me in case I threatened to tell the staff your secret?" Angela joked.

"Yeah something like that," Bella laughed as she got up from the chair. "Call me and let me know if Ben wants to go."

"I'm pretty sure he'd reschedule open-heart surgery for this."."

"Great, hope to see you there." Bella opened the door.

"Bella, I really am happy for you." Bella smiled, realizing she'd made the right decision telling her. "Thanks Angela. It means a lot to me."

"Wait, your boss is coming?" Rosalie asked at lunch.

"Don't we hate them?" Alice chimed in.

"Not Angela, she's awesome, and she knows," Bella replied.

"You told her?!" Both exclaimed at the same time.

"I take it she handled it well, and is going to keep it secret?" Esme asked.

"Mom, you knew?" Alice asked.

"Bella felt guilty and asked if I thought it was a good idea. I told her that if she felt like it would be all right. It turns out I was correct."

"Angela will keep it quiet, and she's really happy for me. We've known each other forever and are very good friends You guys will like her, I promise."

"I've spoken to her on the phone several times when Bella was still in Miami, and she praised you a lot. She seems like a lovely girl and I can't wait to meet her in a more casual setting," Esme said.

Bella arrived at the arena with Esme and Alice. Rosalie was coming later. Ben and Angela arrived soon after and Bella introduced everyone. Alice instantly decided to become fast friends with Angela, while Ben and Esme talked business. Ben was in PR and worked with mostly authors and writers, and that's how he and Angela met, so he certainly had lots in common with Esme.

Rosalie arrived fresh from shopping just before the game started. She was quickly introduced to Angela and Ben and her worries vanished quickly.

The first period was extremely exciting. If anyone had told her in August that she'd be obsessed with any organized sport, especially one on ice within the six months, she would have laughed at them.

The Avalanche played a very strong first period and were up 1-0, but in the last two minutes of the period the Panthers scored. Jasper hit his stick on the ground in frustration which was funny because he never got worked up.

"He wishes he could have that one back," Alice said with a grin.

"Looks like it," Ben replied. He was happy. He was the resident Panthers fan.

"It just means he's going to be more determined in the next two periods to make up for it," Alice countered.

"You're probably right," Ben conceded.

"Of course I am."

The horn sounded to end the period and everybody got up to stretch their legs.

A few minutes later there was a knock at the door and in poked the head of Amy Mercer. "Bella! I'd hoped I'd find you here."

"Amy! Hey!" Bella hurried over to her.

"Thought we'd drop in," Amy said as she stepped into the room holding a baby carrier.

"Oh my god! He's getting so big! Wow, I can't believe he's grown so much in two weeks."

"Yeah I know. He'd better slow down or Tristan will have him in skates before he's a year old."

"Probably, but I'll bet that'll be just fine for this little one." As if on cue the baby began to wail. "May I hold him?" Bella asked.

"Of course. I guess you've gotten over your fear," Amy joked.

"Look at him. He isn't so small anymore. But he is still the most adorable thing in the world." Amy handed the crying child to Bella. "Is he hungry?" Bella asked.

"Maybe. You'd b surprised at how much that little thing can eat, but I have a feeling..." She knelt forward and sniffed near his bottom. "Yep, diaper change."

"And now it's time to hand him back to mommy," Bella joked.

Amy reached for him.

"No, go ahead and grab what he needs, I'll hold him." Amy grabbed the diaper bag and laid out a changing pad on one of the couches. Bella put him down on it and began to undo the straps on the sleeper.

"You don't have to do this," Amy said.

"I know, but a diaper doesn't scare me. I used to babysit." She quickly got him all cleaned and in a fresh new diaper.

"Anyway, I should probably go. He needs to be in a quiet room to go to bed. I just wanted to stop in and say hi."

With that, she hurried had stood near the back of the room watching the whole exchange. She saw for the second time that day how different Bella had become. She needed to be back in Denver with these people. She was no longer just the sun-loving writer. Angela was really grateful that her friend had found a place and people that made her so happy. She was determined to make sure the owners did not interfere anymore with Bella.

Yay! all is back to normal! obviously there is still drama to come, but I hope you're all glad to see them reunited for good.


	26. Chapter 25 - All Star Battle

SO this chapter has a bunch about the NHL All Star Weekend. It's a pretty cool event in the NHL, but it has absolutely no effect on the season. Seeing all the superstars in one place playing together is very cool, but the game itself is pretty boring because there is very little physical play at all. (No one wants to accidentally hurt someone during a game that means nothing to the season.)

For me though, it gives us a chance for more drama with opposing players. Yay.

Chapter 25 –

It was the kind of game that had the entire crowd on edge; it was extremely tight. They had been tied for most of the game and there were only seconds left in the third period.

The lead scorer of the Panthers hurried down the ice toward Jasper. He had broken away past the Avalanche defense. Jasper steadied himself, and was out to meet him just within his crease. The forward pulled his stick back and hit the puck with amazing speed and accuracy. The crowd quickly erupted and Bella's felt her stomach drop, but the cheering was gone almost as fast as it came.

The whistle blew, and Jasper stood up straight. He pulled his mask off and with a big grin he handed the puck to the referee. Bella let out the air in her lungs she had been keeping in entire time.

"This is going to kill me," she finally spoke, and the occupants of the box laughed at her. "No I'm serious. This is much easier to watch on television."

"You'd think you'd be used to it by now Bella. It's only been two weeks," Alice joked.

"Uhh, 'only two weeks' my ass," she shot back as they watched the two teams get ready for what was probably going to be the last faceoff of regulation time. Edward was taking the faceoff. Jasper was steady in the net; leaning forward in anticipation of the dropped puck. Emmett stood in between Edward and Jasper, careful not to block his goalie's view of the play.

The puck dropped and Edward fought to get it. The other player touched it first, but as he shoveled the puck toward the net, Emmett was there and blocked the shot with his stick. He wound up and shot the puck down the ice toward the opposing goaltender. The time wound down and it was official; they were in overtime.

The two teams went to their respective benches. Overtime was played as four-on- four hockey, giving the players more space on the ice for a period of five minutes. After that there was a shootout.

Bella watched the faces of her friends; all of them looked very concentrated on the game. She knew the momentum of the last five minutes of the third period was in favor of the Panthers, and it would be likely to continue. Her thoughts went back to September. Back then she never would have understood this, and it gave her a small satisfaction. Things were different now. She was different. She never would have guessed she'd care so much about this sport.

Had Edward changed that? Had it been the Cullen family? Did it even matter? She wasn't really sure if these questions could even be answered. Then she began to doubt herself; maybe in five years she was going to realize that she'd given up too much of herself to be a part of this world. What if come August there were no more opportunities for her as a writer? What if this was her big chance and leaving the job would be the end of it all?

Bella was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see what happened to make Alice jump up in triumph, and Ben curse under his breath. "Bella, are you okay? We won!" Alice wrapped her in her little arms and Bella came back to planet earth. She grinned then looked up to the Jumbotron where they replayed the goal, scored by Edward. Her smile grew even bigger and she finally joined in the celebration.

"Wow, I really spaced there. Sorry. That was such a great shot."

"Yeah, my cousin is good for something, that's for sure. When the team needs him he definitely gets it done." Alice finally let Bella free.

Their little celebration was over fairly quickly, and then the group began saying their goodbyes to Ben and Angela who needed to get back to Miami. They had jobs to get up for the following morning. Bella grinned at the thought that she didn't have to.

Bella said goodbye to Ben, then turned to Angela and the two hugged. "I'm losing you again; the office just isn't the same you know."

"Yeah."

"But I'm happy for you. You belong here."

"Thanks." The two pulled apart.

"And to think, back in August you almost killed me for making you go anywhere near organized sports," Angela laughed.

"We converted her. We're very persuasive when we need to be," Esme replied with a grin.

The comment made everyone laugh, but Bella couldn't help but let that uneasiness sneak back up on her. It didn't go away either. She was pretty sure she was being irrational, but it didn't matter. She worried that maybe someday she wouldn't love this world as much. Really, these last few months had changed everything. What if that could change back just as easy?

The thoughts wouldn't leave her mind the whole way back to the hotel. She was back to rooming with Rosalie. The following morning she needed to tie up loose ends, and then meet the rest of the group in Tampa. She'd considered going back to Miami for the night and not having to do the drive in the morning, but Edward was not going to be able to join her – even though it had been his idea. Carlisle had shot down that idea, since they would actually be leaving for Tampa that night.

Before the team left, they met back at the hotel and were able to have a few minutes with their families that had made the trip. Bella was still feeling a little awkward and insecure about the future, but as she got out of the rental car and saw Edward coming toward her she realized that she had nothing to worry about.

Even if things fell through with Edward, she knew that it would be worth it. No one looked at her the way that he was looking at her at that moment. Every time she saw him, it was as if they had been apart for months, and seeing her was the highlight of his day. She never felt more perfect than when she looked at herself through his eyes, and she knew she was far from perfect. Her stomach felt a lot better; everything would be okay.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked as soon as he reached her.

"I'm fine, just thinking about stuff."

"Stuff? That's vague."

"It's not important," she replied.

Edward looked above her, and then nodded toward a nearby conference room. The door stood open and it was empty inside. "Come here." She followed him into the room. "Something's wrong, and we're leaving really soon, but I don't want to leave you here upset."

"I just have been second guessing myself. It's nothing."

"You don't want to leave?" He looked extremely panicked. She opened her mouth to respond but he stopped her. "Bella if you want to stay here, I understand. I don't want you to feel like you need to do this..."

"Don't jump to conclusions, Edward," Bella stopped him this time. "I do want to go, I guess in a way I'm just afraid of the unknown, but I'd regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't at least see if this will work. I love you Edward, and that is much harder to give up than a job or a city."

He pulled her into a hug, tucking her head under his chin. He kissed the top of her head. "Thank god. Because I think if you were to tell me you didn't want to go I'd be requesting to trade to the Panthers tomorrow."

"I think Emmett would kill you."

"Yeah, I'd have to watch my back whenever I played against the Avs." He gave her another big squeeze. "We should probably get back out there though."

"Or we could just stay here for a while." She pulled back and looked up to meet his gaze.

"I wish. We're already risking getting caught. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. When I saw you from across the foyer you looked almost terrified. I just needed to make sure that you were all right."

"Yeah, I was freaking out a bit, thinking about all the 'what ifs' but then I saw you, and I knew I was doing the right thing." She gave him a quick kiss and then stepped away from him. "Let's get back before someone notices we're missing." He followed her out.

The group outside was getting organized for the team to take off. No one noticed them return, and Bella walked over to Alice's side while Edward headed over to see his uncle and Emmett.

Everyone exchanged goodbyes and the team headed to the bus.

Alice put an arm around her. "Good to be back?"

"I don't like this part of it all."

"It doesn't get any easier." She responded honestly.

"Way to lift my spirits Alice," she laughed.

The following road trip was over extremely quickly and Bella was excited to get back to Denver. She felt like she was finally going home.

The reception the group got at the airport was expected. Bella, Rose, Alice and Esme arrived home before the team and were asked questions almost immediately. Esme just politely walked on, saying they had no comment.

Bella and Alice caught a cab together after grabbing their bags, and headed to the apartment complex. Alice came with Bella to help her unpack since she had much more to deal with than just clothes and toiletries. When they finished, the team plane had landed and they were probably almost home.

"I should probably go. Guaranteed this will be Edward's first stop, and I don't want to get in the way."

"I'm pretty sure we can contain ourselves long enough for you to get out of the room," Bella joked.

"You never know with that cousin of mine," she joked. "Anyway, I know we've all said it a million times, but I'm so glad you're back, and not just because I adore you, but you are just so good for him."

"I'm pretty sure he's good for me too."

"Yeah, you were made for each other. Guaranteed after my wedding, I'll be planning yours."

"Don't get ahead of yourself Alice. It's only been a few months."

"Don't doubt me. If there is one thing I know, it's couples. I know exactly how long the marriage will last when I'm planning their wedding. I'm rarely wrong, and I'm sure you and Edward are not far behind Jasper and me." Bella just shook her head, deciding not to respond. "Anyway, I'm going to go before my cousin gets here and throws me out. Bye!"

"Bye," Bella replied, but Alice was already out the door.

She began to wander aimlessly around the apartment wondering when Edward was going to get there, and hoping it wouldn't be long.

She didn't have to wait too long. About ten minutes later there was a knock on the door. Edward barrelled into the room, dropped his bags on the ground and almost immediately had Bella pressed up against the wall next to the doorway. They made it to the bedroom only minutes after that.

The next several weeks were a blur. Bella's two articles were well-received. She received a lot of great feedback and congratulations on the job situation. The next big hurdle was the NHL All-star game which was the first weekend of February. Edward was voted to be in the starting line-up for the West. Emmett was also on the team, but didn't make the starting line-up. Jasper was the Backup Goalie for the West. He probably wouldn't see the ice much, but the goaltender from Calgary was on a really hot streak, so he had been named starter.

Tristan was the final Avalanche player to make the team. He was on the fourth line and wouldn't see too much ice time, but it was an honor to attend regardless. Edward was thrown into a bunch of different press conferences and photo sessions. He forced himself to smile while standing next to James Stanton and Jacob Black as the three highest-voted forwards. He kept reminding himself that the fans were kind enough to vote him in, so he owed it to them to deal with the two men.

The situation with James was hopeless, and he knew that. The Jacob Black situation would not have been so bad if he hadn't caught Jacob trying to speak to Bella on three different occasions over the last two days they'd been in Boston, where the game was being held. First, he had approached her at the buffet in the hotel they were staying at; Edward had sent Alice to save her by dragging her away. The second time was at the hotel pool. Jacob sat way too close to her in the hot tub, and Edward made Emmett go and sit right between them. The last time was at the arena during several press conferences. Jacob had approached her in a hallway and this time there had been no one available. Finally Amy came by with baby Cody and Edward sent her to distract Bella; the baby would do the trick. So now he was forced to smile and look happy with these guys when he would rather pummel them than play on the same line.

The skills competition had been held on Saturday and Edward won two different events; the fastest skater event, and the hardest shot. He was pissed when he lost most accurate shot to James, but hid his anger since they were in fact playing on the same team this time. The West came out ahead on the super skills competition, and Edward had to admit he liked that, regardless of who his teammates were. He liked winning, even if it meant James and Jacob were going to win as well.

It was the final day of the All Star Weekend, and finally it was the main event; the All Star Game. The West team were arriving at the locker rooms. Edward, Emmett and Jasper were already there when James walked into the locker room.

"Well if it isn't the Three Musketeers of the Avs."

"That the best you got this afternoon Stanton?" Edward called back to him.

"Don't you worry Cullen, I've got a little more up my sleeve. I'll talk slow so that your oaf of a cousin understands too." Emmett quickly turned to him, but Edward just shook his head. "Speaking of cousins, I hear your little cousin Alice is doing pretty good. She's engaged, huh? Maybe I'll give her a call anyway." He turned to Jasper. "How does it feel to have my leftovers?"

Instantly there were three rather large men coming at James. He was pushed back into the wall where Emmett got a nice punch to the gut before some other members of the All-star team pulled them off. A big defenseman from Minnesota was holding Emmett back quite effectively. As soon as one of the players from the Kings pulled Jasper back, he turned away and threw someone's helmet against the wall, but he backed off and didn't even bother to look at James again.

Edward was pulled off James by the Edmonton Captain Sam Uley. "Calm down, he isn't worth it. You're giving him exactly what he wants," He hissed in Edward's ear. Edward shrugged Uley off, but also listened and backed off. "And you!" Uley turned to James. "Shut the fuck up! None of us want to hear you bitch all night." After that, Edward had deep respect for the Oilers' captain.

"Whatever. Little Alice is old news anyway. I'm thinking I might have to get the number of that cute little brunette writer you've got following you. She seems like she'd be fun." Instantly Edward was back to slamming James up against the wall. This time Uley was right on him. Before he pulled him back though, James grinned. "Guess the rumors were true then. You've been slumming it with the reporter."

Edward immediately realized his mistake. He knew everything he was thinking was plastered across his face. By giving in to James' goading he had all but told the whole room he was seeing Bella. They had just spent the last month finishing up with damage control regarding the New Years' Fiasco and now he had given ammunition to the one person he hated most of all.

Thankfully, before the conversation could go any further, the team coaches entered the room. The Head coach of the Western team was the Head coach of the San Jose Sharks, and Carlisle was the assistant coach. Carlisle knew right away that something wasn't right. Edward's face gave it all away, but before he could talk to his nephew about whatever had just happened, the head coach gathered everyone together to prepare for the game.

The game itself went by extremely fast. Edward didn't mind the atmosphere because he wasn't constantly watching his back in fear of getting smashed into the boards. It was an unwritten rule that you did not hit at the All-Star game; the next few months would be the push to the playoffs and no one wanted to be injured in a game that really didn't count for anything in the long run. Not to mention if you were the player who decided to attempt a hit, you'd have a target on your back as soon as regular games started up again. There was, after all, a code that needed to be followed. Even James was pretty civil, but Edward figured that was only because they were on the same team.

When the game finally ended, the West had actually lost by one to the East. The Boston Crowd was excited by this, and everyone generally left in a good mood. Edward dressed as fast as he could in so he wouldn't have to deal with James. He needed to get his head straight and figure out what to do about what happened in front of the room full of hockey players. What he really needed was to see Bella, but he worried that James would be looking for the perfect opportunity to prove that the two were together.

James was one of the last to leave the dressing room. He, unlike Edward, was pissed that they hadn't won the game, but he kept his mouth shut. He had more important things to worry about anyway. His main goal now was to figure out the situation with Edward and the brunette reporter whose name he couldn't remember. He knew about the press coverage and how the Cullen's had patched up the situation nicely. All he needed to do was get a picture, or another type of proof, to show the press what Cullen had all but confirmed by his reaction. When he got that proof, he'd find the perfect time to use it against Edward. He was going to knock the Cullen family off their high horse any way that he could.

Gotta hate James right? Yeah...for sure. He's got a pretty big role in this story now!


	27. Chapter 26 - Road to the Playoffs

Almost the end of the season, and the story is getting very close to playoff time! Which is by far the best time for hockey all year! It's also a great time for some drama.

Chapter 26 –

The regular season was coming to an end. Every game was getting more and more intense and Bella could feel it whenever she was at the arena, or even talking to anyone who knew anything about hockey. The Avalanche were safe; they had played well enough that they were guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, but their focus now was to get as high a ranking as possible.

They sat four points out of first place in the Western conference. Detroit had also made it into the playoffs, and they sat only five points out of first. Tonight was the last time in the regular season the two teams would play against each other. The entire Cullen family had been on edge leading up to this game. James was not to be trusted, and no one put it past him to try and sabotage the Avs, or Edward in particular.

It was the team meeting right before the game. Emmett and Mike were both given the task of shutting down James and keeping him away from the smaller forward. "Guys, I know we want first, and I know there's history with this team, but today I want our focus to be defense. They have some good power forwards, and if we can shut them down, we've got a better chance of getting some of those lucky passes. Emmett, Newton, keep Stanton occupied. We all know he plays dirty, and we cannot afford another injury like we had earlier in the season." Carlisle paused. "If we don't win tonight, yes they do get ahead of us, but then we've got four more games to get back up there. So if it comes down to keeping our guys off the injury list or getting a breakaway chance, please protect your teammates."

That was all the speech they needed. Edward was pumped for the game. They'd just had two days off and he was determined not to let James Stanton get the best of him. They were in Detroit, so the crowd would be very much against them, but he wanted this match-up really bad.

He hadn't seen James since the All-Star game and he was hoping James had gotten over his quest to get proof about him and Bella, and would just go back to attempting to beat him on the ice, but he doubted it.

He and Bella decided that while they were in Detroit they'd keep as far away from each other as possible, because it wasn't worth the risk of getting caught. It had been tough. They had seen each other at the airport, but deliberately stood on opposite sides of the group, barely acknowledging each other's existence.

As the players took the ice, Bella sat up in the box rocking baby Cody back and forth. He was fussing, and Amy was almost ready to leave with him. He usually was very good at games, but at the first sign of impatience, his mother always took him out. Bella got distracted by the players entering and Cody began to wail.

"I think it's time to go home." Amy sighed as she took the crying baby away. "It's probably too loud. I might stop bringing him since it seems to be hard on his ears."

"Yeah I remember when Emmett could no longer sleep through games. We stopped bringing him until he was about three or so. Didn't want to take the chance," Esme replied.

"I can't imagine Emmett as a baby," Amy laughed.

"Yeah me either," Bella said a she helped Amy get things packed up. She used it as an excuse to avoid watching the warm-up. She'd worked herself up so much about James that as selfish as it sounded, she'd rather not go through watching him attack Edward again.

"I have a hard time believing he was a little kid, let alone own a baby, and I remember him as a kid. I'm pretty sure he was never a baby," Alice joked. "And poor Rose. You're going to have to put up with little Emmetts one day."

"I learned to handle him quite well, so his babies shouldn't be a problem."

"I doubt that sweetheart," Esme grinned, "Because instead of having them wrapped around your little finger like Emmett, they'll have you wrapped around theirs." Everyone laughed.

It was time for the first period to start and they settled down. It began fairly uneventfully. It seemed as if James' coach had given the same speech about not incurring any injuries, since he seemed more cautious than usual. .

Unfortunately, his strange actions throughout made Edward let his guard down just enough to get himself in trouble with two minutes to go in the first. James sidled up to him and Edward took a nasty high stick to the face.

When the ref didn't call it, and Edward went down, Rosalie was on her feet screaming at the ref who of course was too far away for her to make any impact; the crowd nearby got quite the show though.

Eventually the whistle blew because Edward still had not gotten up. When the team trainer got to him, the camera was able to get close enough to show the crowd a bad gash on the side of his chin. Bella sat silently, but was glad to see that Edward seemed to go to the dressing room all right, aside from the blood. There was only a little over a minute and a half left of the period, so Edward was not going to return to the ice until the second.

"I cannot believe they didn't call that." Alice said with a pout. "If Edward had pulled that shit on James he'd be out for five minutes; but no, Stanton gets nothing." She seethed for a few moments, then quickly turned it around and looked at Bella. "Are you going down to the training room to see if he's all right?"

"I'm sure he'll be okay. Maybe just a few stitches," Esme offered.

"Yeah, and Edward and I are trying really hard not to be seen together."

"It'll be fine. No one will get in. I'm sure you want to see how he's doing." Before Bella could even protest, she was being dragged along by a sweet little tiny person with the sweetest intentions, but neither she nor Esme could really know what a risk they were actually taking.

When they arrived down at the dressing room level, Alice got them through the minimal security and found where the team trainer was quickly stitching up Edward. The trainer, Bill, was an old friend of the family, and had known Alice since she was still in diapers. He looked up, saw Alice and Bella, and grinned at Alice. "If your father knew you came down here, he would not be very happy with you," he scolded her.

"Yeah right, like he ever gets mad at me. I'm his princess." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"You guys shouldn't have come down here. I'm fine. I just needed some stitches," Edward said. "But I'm very glad you care so much."

"I don't care at all, but Bella was worried sick." Bella looked at the trainer, wondering if he'd heard. Alice noticed. "Oh Bella, don't worry about Bill. I'm sure he already knew about you guys. He sees everything." With one last look at Bill who smiled encouragingly at her , Bella went over to Edward to examine the cut.

"Of course I knew about them." Bill nodded toward Edward and Bella. "Edward over there can't keep a secret like that. It's written all over his face."

They looked at him in surprise. Alice placated them. "Don't worry about Bill. He won't tell anyone I'm sure. He knew about me and Jasper before I even told Rosalie about us, and he kept it secret. He'll do the same for you."

"Of course I will. I've been doing it since Europe, haven't I?"

"You've known that long?" Bella exclaimed.

"Of course I did. I know all the little secrets about this team. Not everyone is out to spread the latest gossip."

"Of course not," Bella smiled. "I'm just surprised".

"Bill, is Edward all patched up? Can we give these two a moment?" Alice asked.

"Yep, I'm done. Might have a bit of a scar, but that's all." Bill replied as he followed Alice out.

"I like him," Bella said as they left.

"Bill's pretty great. He's been around for years; grew up with us. I think he even coached Emmett one year. Then when Carlisle started coaching at the higher levels, Bill came along. Whenever he stitches me up, there's barely any scar," Edward replied as Bella stepped between his legs.

"This one might scar though. It looks pretty bad. Your perfect skin might be flawed and I don't know if I want a flawed boyfriend."

"It'll make me look more rugged. If you don't want a rugged boyfriend, I'll find someone who does."

"You will not."

"No probably not," he replied and kissed her forehead. "Love you, but..."

"I should get back upstairs, I know. Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine. James has got another thing coming if he thinks he'll get me off the ice again."

"I'm sure Emmett will make him aware of that in the second period."

"He'd better," Edward laughed, and then hugged her one last time. He jumped down and they went to the door. "See you after the game."

"You bet," Bella replied.

She and Alice headed back upstairs. "I knew he'd be fine," Alice gloated.

"You were the one who insisted we go down there when Esme said he only needed stitches."

"I know, but I knew you wanted some alone time with him, so I made it happen."

"Oh so you planned for him to get a giant gash on his face? Next time, skip that step." They laughed the rest of the way to the box.

During the second period, Emmett made sure that James was well-aware his attack on Edward was not welcome, and about midway through the period ended up in the penalty box for a hit that was much cleaner than James' was to Edward, a fact that Emmett made sure the refs knew loud and clear.

The Avs were short-handed and the score was still tied at zero. It was the best opportunity for the Red Wings to score and James seemed to be well aware of it. He ignored Edward's presence and was entirely focused on the puck for once. He passed it back to his defenseman who shot it across ice to his partner. Then it was passed to one of the Red Wing's forwards as James moved in front of the net. His teammate sent it straight to James who tipped it toward the side of the net.

Jasper saw right through the play and as the crowd began to cheer, the edge of Jaspers skate knocked the puck toward Tristan, and the cheer died. Tristan saw Edward was alone in the middle of the ice by the blue line, and shot the puck toward him.

Edward turned and got ahead of the two defensemen who had not been anticipating the play. He had a perfect breakaway and skated first to the left, then to the right, and as he got closer to the net it looked as if he had missed the chance to shoot, but got a perfect backhand right over the left pad of the goaltender. The red light went off, and the buzzer sounded. The crowd groaned and Edward was dog-piled by his teammates. As they backed off he saw Emmett smashing the glass in celebration from inside the box. The last face he looked at was James'. He simply grinned then skated to the bench to high-five the team and take a seat for the next shift.

The rest of the period went without incident, or anymore goals. Emmett got out of his penalty and the Red Wings were only able to get a few shots on goal. The second period ended, and then the third started fast. The Red Wings were playing desperation hockey and the Avs were playing defensively. Edward played fewer shifts than usual in the third, but he didn't care because the team was winning and it gave James fewer chances to get in his cheap shots. He was not afraid of James as a player, but he was not above cheating to get what he wanted.

They cemented the win when, with thirty seconds left, Tristan shot in an empty netter from halfway across the ice. Edward could practically see the steam coming from James, and he couldn't help but grin about it.

When the final buzzer sounded, Edward celebrated with the team and then headed to the dressing room. He took his time getting ready since he didn't have to do an after-game press conference.

When he got out of the dressing room and was heading up to where the bus was parked, he ran into James.

"Trying to jump me in stairwells now? Attempting to send me to the hospital on the ice isn't enough for you anymore?" He attempted to get past , but James blocked him. . "Did you want to congratulate me on my win tonight? Go ahead, I'll wait."

"Actually, I wanted to congratulate the happy couple, but apparently your better half isn't here right now," James taunted.

"You still going on about that?" Edward asked casually.

James ignored him. "I was actually surprised that you took the time to actually date her. Most would simply fuck her type and get it over with. She's just a little reporter. Are you really that worried that she'd print shit about you in her little magazine? You and your little family; always worried about your perfect little image. Tell me; how come you went through all that effort over New Year's to pretend you weren't fucking?" Edward stood motionless. He knew if he moved at all, he'd end up assaulting James and that was what he wanted. He knew James was just taunting him and had nothing to go on but Edward's reaction in Boston.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. And give Miss Swan some respect. I don't care who it is, no one deserves to be spoken about like that. Now, I'm going to the bus, so get out of my way."

"I don't think so." James stepped in front of him again.

"I'm not going to hit you James. I won't give you the satisfaction. Leave me, my family, and Isabella Swam alone. Maybe if you put the effort you've been using to destroy me toward your play on the ice, you'd have been able to beat me tonight. Trying to get back at me and my family for a childhood rivalry that you turned ugly is something a fifteen-year-old kid would do. You're a grown man. Maybe you should take the hint and get over it."

"I have nothing to get over. I've already won." He pulled out his phone and played with the buttons.

"You won what? The satisfaction of pissing me off? Congratulations, I'll be over it in an hour or two."

James looked up from his phone and all Edward could see was pure hatred in his gaze. "No Cullen, I win because I get to be the one who finally knocks your perfect little family off of their perfect little pedestal." Edward just glared. "Next time you get hurt, you might want to make sure your little whore doesn't come visit you in the training room of my building." He held up his phone. On it was a photo showing Bella snuggling him in the training room with his arms protectively around her as he kissed her forehead.

"You fucking bastard." Edward stepped toward him, but he stepped back.

"Ah Ah Ah Cullen. You don't want an assault charge on top of everything else, do you? Maybe I'll just hold onto this little picture until it can be most useful to me."

"You can't even tell it's her," Edward argued as he took another glance at the photo. "It could be any brunette. In fact, it's shitty enough quality that you can't even tell it's me."

"And you really think the press will care? If I say it is you, which by the way we both know it fucking is, they'll believe me, and they'll print it. Your family will look pretty bad, won't they, after all the effort they've put into covering it up?"

"You know, all we have to do it run the story ourselves, spin it nicely in our direction, and say the relationship never started until after the fiasco." Edward knew he was playing right into James' little plot, but he couldn't help himself. James was very good at getting under his skin.

"I don't think so, because if you break the story first, I'll still send the photo, only I'll accompany my picture with a story all my own; that she's just a little slut who's only with you because she has a thing for famous guys. I'll say I fucked her back in November. That she came after me when you had that ankle injury and your family was taking care of you.

Edward's fists clenched, but he tried to maintain his cool. This would not become a physical altercation.

"I'll tell them how boring she was and that if you want her, you can have her. You'd be just another member of the Cullen family taking my sloppy seconds; first your cousin, now the little reporter. So if I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut. In fact, if I find out you've told anyone, even your family or your little whore, I'll let the story slip." He slid his phone closed. "Have a good flight back to Denver, Cullen. I'm sure you'll have tons to think about." With that, he turned to leave and Edward resisted the urge to jump him.

He took a deep and then slammed his fist into the wall. He could hear James' laughter as the door closed behind him. "Fuck!" he exclaimed as he sat down on a nearby stair. James was right; even if they tried to cover the story, or spin it in their favor, he still had the power to control the press. He knew he'd weather the storm with no problem. Women cared about gossip; men who watched hockey did not. So he'd be able to get through it, but Bella, and possibly Alice, wouldn't. Bella would lose her job, and Alice could lose clientele.

He heard voices in the stairwell below him and he quickly got up. It was Emmett, Jasper, and Tristan. "What are you still doing here?" Jasper asked. "You left the locker room twenty minutes ago."

Edward debated telling them what happened, but decided he couldn't. "I just got distracted. Let's head out." He needed to find a way to deal with this on his own, he decided, as they headed to the bus.

Like I said- James has a pretty big role from now on...HATE him! Will his blackmail hurt Edward's game or his relationship? Keep reading to find out.

please review guys!


	28. Chapter 27 - A Disaster of a Night

Thanks again for reading. Please take a chance to review!

Chapter 27 –

"Something's wrong with you lately," Emmett said as they got ready for their final game of the regular season. It was a home game, and a division game. The Avalanche were not going to get first in the West, since the Anaheim Ducks had clinched the spot when they won their game the night before.

The Avalanche was going to finish second, with the Red Wings right behind them in third. The good news was that they probably wouldn't have to play the Red Wings early in the playoffs, and it didn't look likely they'd have to in the second or third round, either.

Since the playoff spots were set, the game didn't mean that much. Unfortunately though, it was against Edmonton, and Emmett could tell that something was up with Edward, and there was more than a slight chance that he might take whatever was going on with him out on one of the players; most likely the Black kid.

"I'm fine, and I'm sick of telling people that," Edward replied tersely, and went back to lacing up his skates. He didn't notice Emmett and Jasper exchange glances.

"You're not fine, Edward. Alice is bothering me all the time to figure out what's wrong with you. Even she can't figure it out, and she always can."

"You know, I was fine until every single person decided to ask me what was wrong with me. I just want this game to be over with. I don't want to play the Oilers."

"That's because you want to beat the shit out of the Black kid. It's not gonna go very well either," Tristan said.

"You think he could beat me in a fight?"

"It's possible," Emmett said, "but Tristan's right, Edward. Do not start shit with him, no matter how much he pisses you off. If they win tonight, they'll move to the seventh spot, which means that we play them first-round in the playoffs and we don't need our star forward getting thrown out or beaten up."

"I'm not going to beat up Jacob Black, or let him beat me up, so would you please fuck off and get yourselves prepared for the game? At this rate it's going to be you idiots who fuck this up."

Emmett gave up and went to get ready, then headed out. Carlisle met him outside the door. "He's going to get himself hurt."

Carlisle sighed. "Well, if hopefully we'll be able to tell beforehand and he'll just spend the game on the bench."

"Glad you'll have to be the one to tell him."

Just as Emmett predicted, Edward was not himself. In fact, on several occasions just in the first seven minutes, Edward was doing things he never did on the ice. When he had the choice, he'd take the man instead of the puck. He'd already taken a penalty, and if the ref had been fair, he should have gotten another one.

The Oilers were already up by one. Things were going pretty miserably for the Avalanche, and the fans could sense it, but it was about to get a lot worse. Jacob Black passed the puck right to Sam, who shot directly at Jasper, who caught it in-between his pads. Before the period ended, Jacob got right up to the net and attempted to get the puck from the goaltender, but when the whistle blew, he backed off. Edward ignored that, and went straight for Jacob, pushing him. Then Jacob came back at Edward, and soon the two were in an all-out fight right next to the Avalanche net.

As the teams closed in, the refs came over. Edward pulled Jacob forward and as he fell, his skate came up and the sharp blade came into contact with the side of Jasper's leg, right behind his goalie pad.

Jasper buckled, falling onto his other knee as Edward backed off to cool down from the fight. He was upset enough that he didn't even notice the commotion until Bill came onto the ice as Emmett and Tristan both took Jasper to the bench, a, trail of blood dripping behind him.

Edward's heart sank. He realized right away what he was doing, and it was entirely his fault. He skated over to the bench and got there just as they took Jasper to the training room and the backup goalie was getting ready to go on the ice. Carlisle simply turned to him and said, "I think you need to go to the locker room. I'd rather be a man short than let you back out there to get another one of our players injured."

"Carlisle, the lines will be completely off," Edward argued.

"We survived in December, so we can get through one more game."

Edward headed off to the training room to see how Jasper was. He looked in the room for a minute and considered going in, but they were stitching up Jasper's leg. He headed to the change room and quickly took off his gear and changed into his suit. He considered going back to see how Jasper was, or going somewhere to watch the game, but he really just wanted somewhere to cool off and think about what he was going through, and what he needed to do to fix it.

As he headed out he ran straight into Alice who was on the verge of tears, accompanied by Bella who also had tears in her eyes. Alice looked at him and his heart broke just a little. "Please don't talk to me right now. Maybe come back when my actual cousin reappears and the asshole that has inhabited his body goes away." She stormed off.

"I think I should go with Alice." Bella said, looking extremely torn. "Unless you need..."

"Go with her. It seems like Jasper's all right; they aren't even taking him to the hospital, but I don't think he's ever gotten injured on the ice before, so she'll be a wreck. I need some time anyway."

"Fine, but we need to talk because I'm with Alice on this; you're different, and I'm scared because you won't tell me why. Something's wrong, and I wish you would talk to me about it, but even if you can't talk to me, you need to talk to somebody."

Edward took a quick glance around, making sure there was no one around, and then he pulled her into a hug. "I love you. You go with Alice and I'm going to get my thoughts together. Then I'll come see you. It might take a while."

"I'll wait up."

"I might be really, really late." He pulled his head back without letting go.

She pulled him back. "And I might possibly love you enough to stay up anyway."

"You're amazing. I love you."

"I love you too. Go sort your stuff out, and I'll see you soon." She kissed him and then followed after Alice.

When she got there, Alice had her arms around Jasper and the tears were falling steadily. Bella decided to give them a minute and stepped out of the doorway. She finally let her tears fall; for Alice, for Jasper, but mostly for Edward. She knew he was lost and she was terrified.

"Bella you can come in," Jasper called after a few seconds. Alice was wiping away her tears while Jasper held her protectively.

"I'm sorry," Bella apologized. "It's been a horrible few weeks and I just couldn't stop myself from crying. How's your leg? Is it going to be okay? God, I'm rambling again."

"Bella I'm going to be fine; it looked worse than it was. It's stitched up and I barely feel it now. You both need to stop crying. I'm not used it with one girl, and now I've got two."

"I can't help it," Alice protested. "I've never had to watch you get practically carried off the ice. It was horrible. People aren't supposed to touch you! You're the goalie! You're not supposed to get hurt. When Edward and Emmett get hurt it sucks, but at least you're prepared for it."

"I don't think it matters if you're prepared for it. Watching Edward get hurt back in November was horrible."

"True," Alice nodded.

"Where is he? I saw him in his suit. Did Carlisle kick him out for the rest of the game?"

"Yeah. He left, and didn't even tell me where he was going," Bella replied.

"I'm worried about him," Alice said. "Something happened after that game in Detroit. I'm pretty sure that's when things got really weird."

Jasper thought about it a minute. "Yeah, I agree. Maybe he's more injured than we all thought he was. He always gets sour when he's hurt."

"Bill would know about it if ,that was the case" Alice said. "Besides, he would have rested for these last few games if he was hurt; that way he'd be ready for the playoffs. I don't think he's hurt. Bella, has he said anything?"

"No, but I told him I wanted answers. He said he needs some time, but I'm not letting him run away again."

"Good luck. If anyone can get him to open up, it's you." Alice said hopefully as she pulled her into a hug.

"Yeah, but I'm afraid even I won't be able to."

Edward drove around for an extended period of time. It was spring, and a nice evening. He ended up at City Park. He got out of his car and simply wandered around for a short time, then stood at the edge of the pond and threw rocks. He had no idea what to do. He knew this was exactly what James wanted. The asshole had him right where he wanted him: screwing up with everyone at home, and on the ice.

Should he tell Bella? She'd be even more worried than he was. She had so much more to lose than he did, and he knew it. He didn't want her to worry about this. All she needed to focus on was her articles right now.

But he felt like he needed to tell someone or he'd explode.

There was always Esme, but she would work herself to death trying to sort a way through the whole ordeal without it ending in James' complete attack on the family and Bella.

Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett had enough to worry about on the ice, and they didn't need to deal with Edward's shit too. It wasn't fair. Sure they were family, but he was not about to distract the coach and two key players right before playoffs.

Alice was very mad at him. He couldn't remember the last time she'd looked at him the way she dha tonight. He knew if he told her the entire story, she'd understand, and want to help, but it was still James, and whenever possible, he wanted to keep her as far away from the bastard as he possibly could.

That left only one person. He still didn't think it was fair to drag anyone in the family into the ordeal, but Rose was the best option.

He got out his phone and called her. When she answered, he got right to it. "Hey Rose, it's Edward. Would you meet me at the pond at City Park?"

"What's going on?"

"I'll tell you when you get here, and if possible could you not tell everyone where you're going?"

"What am I supposed to say?"

"Tell them some diva client of yours needs you."

"Fine. Give me twenty minutes."

Twenty minutes later, almost on the dot, she was there. "Now would you please tell me what's going on?"

"I need to know if you can keep something quiet for me. And by quiet, I mean you can't tell anyone; not Alice, Bella, or Esme…not even Emmett."

"That's asking a lot," she replied. Edward just nodded silently. "But if it's going to fix this little rut you've been in, then fine."

"I've been playing like shit," he agreed

"I don't mean on the ice. No one cares about that–-okay that's a lie, we care, and so does all of Denver-but we care more about whatever the hell happened to make you so miserable all the time." She looked around. "Let's sit down and talk."

After they were comfortably sitting on the grass, Edward blurted, "James knows about Bella." Rosalie's eyes widened and he continued, telling her the entire story. Then she got up and began pacing.

"We should have just let it come out after New Year's. Then it would have blown over by now."

"But Bella would be out of a job," Edward protested.

"She could have found another one, but if this gets out now, not only are we dealing with how we all lied in January, but she'd be labeled a whore and gold-digger who sleeps with anyone with fame and money. No offense."

"Believe me, I've thought it over a thousand times. I'm afraid that's exactly what's going to happen."

Rosalie sat down again. "Well you can't keep going on like this. You had a meltdown on the ice today. You wanted to hit something and Jacob Black was the best target. Since you're not a fighter, the entire city of Denver knows something is probably seriously wrong with you."

"It's what James wants. For me to fall into this hole and then perform horribly in the playoffs. I don't think there's anything he wants more than to humiliate me in front of the entire country. If he can't do it on the ice, he'll do it with the picture."

"Oh, that's a given."

"I don't know what to do. Should I tell Bella?"

"No, don't tell her just yet. She still feels bad about everyone coming to her rescue after New Year's. This will scare her even more, and she'll blame herself."

"Then what do I do? She knows something is wrong; everyone knows something's wrong. I told her I'd talk to her tonight. I can't put it off any longer. Should I lie?"

"Not exactly, just don't get specific. Tell her it's the playoffs, and that it feels so different this year; it means that much more to you, and maybe give up the stupid tough hockey player image and tell her you're scared. Then you have to grow a pair and act like everything is okay, especially on the ice. Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper deserve to have you at your best for the post season. Don't let James win."

"He's going to though. If not now, then eventually. He won't sit on the picture forever."

"Yeah, we'll deal with that when the time comes. The game is probably over by now, so go home, apologize to Bella, make it up to her, and let her feel like everything is all right."

She stood up and brushed off her skirt. "I'm leaving now, and you should do the same."

"You know Rose, after a speech like that, I can definitely say you would have made an excellent hockey coach."

"Yeah right, me in a room with a bunch of big sweaty guys with equipment that smells like all kinds of nasty? Not a chance." Edward laughed. "Look at that, it's working already. That might be the first genuine smile I've seen since Detroit.

"I owe you."

"You sure do." She walked to her car, Edward following.

As they got to the parking lot, she said, "Hey, the Avalanche won. Now you at least won't have to face Edmonton first round."

"My pride will appreciate that I'm sure"

"After what happened tonight, you should have no pride left."

"You're probably right." Rosalie glared in response. "You're definitely right."

They got in their cars and headed their separate ways.

Edward had barely gotten the key in the door to Bella's apartment when it was flung open and he hurried inside, hurriedly apologizing. "I'm sorry Bella."

"Don't apologize to me. Just tell me what's going on."

He pulled her into his arms and tucked her head under his chin. "Honestly, I wasn't really sure until tonight. Stuff has just been really hard lately," he replied. "Usually the playoffs don't bother me that much, but this year, something is different. It feels like I won't be able to pull it off. I know it's ridiculous, but everything feels different, and I'm not sure why."

Bella was silent for a minute. "Maybe something has you distracted."

"It's possible. I don't know."

"Did you think about what might be different this year?"

"What do you mean?"

"Edward, maybe it's me and these articles. Maybe I'm putting all this pressure..."

"No." He cupped her chin in his hands. "Bella I don't think I would have even gotten this far if it weren't for you. I love you, and you're not a distraction. It's just that I'm captain now and not a rookie superstar anymore. It's expected that I lead the team with experience, but I don't even know if I have that experience."

"But you do Edward. Everybody knows that, and you know what? You do too."

"I love you."

"I know. And I love you too." She cuddled up close to him. "Just promise me that next time you have your own shit to deal with, you'll at least give someone a hint as to what it is? We're all so worried about you."

"I know, but I really just figured it out myself. I wandered around City Park tonight until it came to me. I just don't want to let anyone down. Not you, or my family, or this city that has been so good to me."

"You do realize that if the Avalanche lose, they lose as a team. It's not all on your shoulders. If you play your best and it still turns out bad, then so be it. We can't change what happens. But if you pull the stuff you did tonight, everyone will blame you. You're so much better than that; not only a better player, but a better person too."

"I know that. Now, especially."

"Excellent, because I happen to love good Edward," she said matter-of-factly.

Edward smirked. "Is that so? You only love good Edward?"

"Well, maybe I can deal with bad Edward every once in a while." She grinned.

"Good." He grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder and she squealed.

He didn't put her down until he dropped her unceremoniously onto her bed. Almost immediately he was on top of her, kissing her neck as he undid the buttons on her shirt. He spread the shirt apart and revealed her bra. He grinned realizing it was front-clasp, and quickly had that aside as well.

One nipple was quickly in his mouth and Bella moaned as she reached for his dress pants. As soon as they were undone, she reached inside and stroked him.

It was his turn to moan at the wonderful torture and not to be undone he bit down lightly on her nipple.

He reached under her skirt and pulled her barely-there lace underwear to the side and quickly entered her with two fingers as his thumb played with her clit. She cried out and tugged on him a little harder. Soon she was stroking him at the same pace as he was fingering her.

When it got too much for both of them, he kissed her on the lips and reached for the clasp on her skirt.

"That takes too much time," she replied and quickly pulled her underwear off and lifted her skirt above her hips. He was quickly inside her. It was hard and fast and soon they both came loudly. It was by no means excellent lovemaking; the entire thing took all of fifteen minutes, but it was exactly what they needed. It was as if all the tension that had been building up for the last two weeks was gone almost instantly.

But after a few minutes, Bella became more aware of Edward's body partially on top of her. The bunched up skirt was digging into her lower back, and his pants began to feel scratchy on her legs. "I think we need to readjust," she said finally.

"Sorry." He pulled back quickly.

She made a quick sound of protest, put the skirt back to a comfortable position, and pulled him back down so he was right beside her. "That's better." After a few more seconds though, the pants were annoying her again. "Okay I lied. Your pants are itchy." Edward just laughed. "You should take them off. Actually let's just get rid of all these clothes."

"I was going to do that a little while ago, but someone was being impatient."

"Shut up and take your pants off," she said as she got out of her clothes as well.

When they were completely naked, he pulled her back into his arms. "Better now?"

"Perfect. You?"

"Excellent," he replied, but as Bella fell asleep in his arms, he had doubts that he'd be able to keep it together as long as he needed to. "Please don't let her get hurt in all this," he whispered to no one. Bella sighed in her sleep. He hugged her tighter, wishing it would all just go away.


	29. Chapter 28 - Playoff Hockey

Playoff Hockey time! YEAH! Please enjoy!

Chapter 28 –

The first round of the playoffs was a breeze; far easier than it should have been. Edward was back in form, and the Avalanche took the San Jose Sharks four games to one, winning the series at home in overtime. Bella was completely swept up in the atmosphere. She knew how crazy fans were at home, but it was a completely different story during the playoffs. After the games people flooded the streets and partied. It was amazing, and she loved it.

As part of Bella's research, she decided that she, Alice, and Rosalie would delay going to San Jose for game three and would instead watch the game at After Hours. As soon as they walked into the bar, they were cheered and given free drinks all night by other fans. Even the bar decided to comp their food – Rosalie of course gave a hundred dollar tip in thanks – but still, Bella felt like a celebrity. The drama of her and Edward had obviously worn off, and no one asked them about it. All that mattered was that the team was doing well. No one even tried to flirt with Alice or Rose, which shocked Bella, but clearly there was deep respect for the guys on the team, and she liked that.

So after beating the Sharks in five games, the team had a little time off. Detroit had already beaten Vancouver, but the other series weren't finished yet. The Anaheim Ducks and the Edmonton Oilers were deadlocked at two games apiece, and the Calgary Flames were up three games to two against The Los Angeles Kings. If Edmonton won, the Avalanche would play them, since they would now be the lowest-seeded team, and the Avalanche the highest. If Edmonton lost, they would play Detroit and the Ducks would play whoever won the Calgary Los Angeles series. So naturally, the entire city was hoping to see Edmonton win. Playing the Oilers would be the lesser of two evils.

The day after they had clinched the series, the team had an optional skate that everyone chose to attend, and then they had the day off. Bella and Edward were finally looking forward to some alone-time, and elected to spend the gorgeous spring day taking a drive through the mountains. Bella had seen them a few times, but never gotten to spend the day just . exploring them. Edward had suggested hiking, and Bella was a little skeptical She was having visions of falling off a cliff, but thankfully Carlisle intervened and said that under no circumstances was Edward to be out hiking and straining his muscles during the post season. He could do it all he wanted after the playoffs.

They drove and first stopped at Lookout Mountain Park, so named because it used to be a lookout spot of a local native tribe. It was also the burial place of Buffalo Bill, so to kill some time they went through the Buffalo Bill Museum, and they stayed longer than expected because Bella was interested in the native art on display.

Then they went to Summit Lake Park and she was. "It's gorgeous here. It's like the mountains have decided not to end winter." East of the lake the area looked like it was still covered in snow.

"It's permafrost. It's like that for the entire year."

"All year? Really. How is that possible?" She turned to him in surprise. "I thought that only really happened in the arctic."

"It's at such a high elevation that it doesn't melt for the summer. Summit Lake is the highest one in the entire country. I wouldn't suggest swimming in it though. You'd freeze."

"It's a lake right next to a permafrost mountain; no way in hell would you get me into it, not even in the middle of summer."

Edward laughed. "You'd love it here in the summer. The wildflowers are amazing."

"Maybe we'll have to come back sometime during the off-season," Bella suggested.

"Damn right we will and I'll make you swim -and hike."

"Unless you want your girlfriend to fall off a mountain, you won't let me hike."

He came up close behind her. It was the middle of the week and summer vacation was still a long way away, so the place was fairly empty, and they didn't need to worry about being careful, which was very refreshing. "I'll catch you."

"Bullshit," she replied as they headed back to the car.

Edward still wanted to visit one more park before they headed back for the city. They quickly went to Echo Lake Park and saw another gorgeous High Altitude Lake. Bella took a ton of pictures, then they continued to a place called Mount Evans Road, where they paid a small access fee and then drove up what Bella learned was the highest road in North America.

They parked and took a short walk to the summit of the mountain; they were the only ones there. Bella was in awe. "At the risk of sounding extremely cliché, I feel like we're on top of the world. It's beautiful."

"I love it up here. I make sure I come at least once every summer. This is the first time I've ever brought someone with me." He came up and put his arms around her.

"Not even the family?"

"We came up here years ago, even before we lived and played here. When I started with the team, I made sure I came back. It's a pretty amazing place, and I wanted to share it with you."

"That's really sweet. I love that you wanted to share it with me."

"I plan to share it with you forever." He pulled her into his arms, tucking her head comfortably under his chin. She molded to him as if it were second nature.

Bella was momentarily shocked by the declaration, but felt like she should make a joke in order to get him off the hook if he needed it. Maybe it had just slipped out. She doubted he really meant "forever." She laughed and said, "Forever is a long time, Edward Cullen."

"Marry me, Bella Swan," he whispered in her ear.

She spun around and looked at him. "Are you serious?"

"Not quite the usual response, but yes I'm very serious. " She didn't reply, but just looked at him in shock. "I've been thinking about it for a while, and I wanted it to be perfect. I should have waited. I don't even have a ring, but being up here with you seemed like the perfect place and time." She still said nothing. "Never mind. I'm sorry, I should have waited. Forget I asked. It's too soon I guess." He awkwardly looked around staring out at the scenery.

"Don't you dare take it back!" He eyes darted back to her. "Nothing about us was ever planned very well, so I think this is the perfect time, but we need to keep it quiet until after the playoffs."

Edward's face fell. "Bella, the last thing we need is more secrets."

She stopped and thought about what he'd said. He was right of course, but then she had an idea. "Fine then, my answer is no. Ask me again when the season is over." She walked right by him and headed back to the trail that led to the car. Evidently they were done there.

Edward followed her wondering the entire time if they were engaged or not.

"So are you going to tell me?" he asked as they finally made it back to the city.

"Like you said, the last thing we need is more secrets. We have no secret because we are not engaged."

"But you said yes. Therefore you want to be..."

"For the record, I never actually used the word 'yes,' and if you keep it up, Cullen, I won't say it when you actually do ask me," Bella replied. He simply glared back.

"I did actually ask you."

"Edward, you know I love you, and I know that you feel the same. We don't need to rush into this. Let's take some time and we'll move forward with everything at the end of the season. Besides, I don't want to take away Alice's thunder. Her wedding isn't going to be for a least another year and we both know that she'll want to plan the greatest wedding she can, and then she'd lose focus on her own."

"I am not waiting over a year until we announce our engagement."

"You might have to, because there is no engagement, and there won't be until I say yes," she declared triumphantly, then rested her head on his shoulder.

Edward shook his head but at the next red light he kissed the top of her head. "Don't make me wait too long," he whispered. He didn't see it, but Bella was smiling.

They pulled up to the apartment complex just as the radio announced that Calgary and Edmonton had both won their games that night, which meant that the Avalanche would either be playing Edmonton or Detroit. "Neither of those are great options," Bella said, thinking out loud.

The simple statement shattered the peace Edward had felt the entire day. He hadn't thought about James, or the stupid picture, or the ramifications of it, but he couldn't escape it.

He realized Bella was looking at him, obviously confused. "Did you even hear me?" she asked.

"No, sorry, I must have zoned out."

"I just said that Edmonton would be better though right?"

"Anything would be better than Detroit. I hope Edmonton wins, and then Calgary takes out Detroit in round two and then we don't have to deal with them at all." He knew it wouldn't be that simple. Even if they never had to play Detroit; even if Calgary beat them; he knew James would release the picture. He was going to do it, but Edward still didn't know when.

"Are you afraid to play them?" Bella asked.

He almost replied truthfully that he wasn't afraid at all, but Bella could see the concern on his face. "A little, yeah." He knew that it was a lie. On the ice he could win, but it was off the ice that he needed to worry about. James didn't play fair

Two days later, Edmonton took Anaheim out in the first round. It was a big upset, but Edward welcomed it.

The night of the first game of the second round, Bella was not at the arena. She had fallen behind on her latest article, and knew she needed to escape and write it. Edward didn't mind; he knew she'd still be watching.

She got out her laptop and set it up in front of the TV and ended up watching a ridiculous man wearing the most atrocious suit she'd ever seen doing saying some pretty awful things about Edward. She was pretty sure Alice would have died if she could see this, so she decided to give her a call.

"Yes Miss Bella?" Alice answered.

"So I went to put on the hockey game and because I still suck at knowing the channels, I'm watching it on a Canadian network. .."

"Don't even continue. Let me guess; there is a really loud, vulgar, white-haired man wearing a suit that looks like it was made out of some gaudy old woman's curtains, and he is spewing out some bullshit about Edward?"

"Uhh..."

"Yeah I'm watching it too. It's Hockey Night in Canada. The clown is the face of Canadian hockey broadcasting. His name is Don Cherry, and he hates players like Edward. The idiot lives for the days that enforcers existed to destroy the Edward Cullens of the game. The quick players who score a lot, but generally aren't the tough guys are his favorite prey. He likes Emmett a lot which is nice, but he can't seem to accept that hockey today is not the same as it was back in the day. We need both the Emmetts and the Edwards now."

"I can't believe they even let this guy on TV."

"Yeah, it's weird. I used to think Canadians worshipped the guy, but apparently most of them hate him and like to make fun of him. He's really biased, and he seems to think he is god's gift to hockey and only his opinion counts."

"You think?"

They stayed on the phone as Don Cherry tore apart Edward for the altercation with Jacob Black during the last regular season game, saying he was a candy-ass and what was he doing trying to pretend he was a tough guy. The girls agreed though that Edward probably deserved it.

"How's the article coming?" Alice asked.

"Do you think you could focus on work when a man wearing – what did you call them – 'old lady curtains' is on TV?"

"Fair enough. He interviewed Carlisle once and I've never seen my dad so frustrated after an interview before. As soon as he said one thing that Cherry didn't agree with, he was cut off the rest of the interview. He barely got a word in. Edward always said he'd love to go head-to-head with Cherry on the air. Carlisle hasn't let it happen yet. Maybe this series though. He will be around a lot. Guaranteed he'll be in Edmonton."

"Please tell me we won't have the pleasure of meeting him."

"I hope not. Then again, I think Rose could do a good job of tearing him a new one. He wouldn't be able to cut her off."

"Probably not." They finished up their conversation as the national anthems were sung and then Bella focused on the game, barely touching the article except during commercials.

The Avalanche held the lead for the first two periods, but it was a close game. Every time Edward got anywhere near Black, it was as if the whole room held their breath with anticipation of another fight. It didn't happen though. Edward seemed to be far more focused than on the previous meeting.

Bella couldn't help notice how fixated Edward was; it was as if he put all his effort into the game just to not make any false moves. He was playing fantastic, but his focus was far higher than it ever had been before. Bella had simply assumed it was because it was the playoffs and a stressful time of year, but she knew there had to be something else, she just couldn't place her finger on it. She didn't want to ask Edward either, because it wasn't fair and he needed his head in the game. In the end, Bella reasoned that if it was something of importance, they could deal with it after the playoffs. For now, it was all about the game.

And this one was going very well. Edward finished the second period with a goal and an assist, and the Avalanche were up two-to-one. The Oilers tied it in the third, but in the first three minutes of overtime Tristan got the puck right between the goalie pads of the Oiler net minder, and almost immediately afterward he was buried in teammates celebrating the win.

Bella jumped up when the puck went in, but sat back down feeling like an idiot since she was alone. She managed to use the extra energy to force herself to work on the article.

She had it roughly done, though some serious editing was needed, by the time Edward got to her apartment.

"Have a good night?" Bella asked with a grin.

"Another three like that and we'll be in the conference finals."

"It's so exciting," Bella smiled. "You know, I was thinking tonight that you should just go all the way and win the cup. It would make my articles even more awesome with a big finale."

He just laughed. "It's all about you, is it?"

"Of course it is." They sat on the couch together.

"Did you finish the article?" he asked, looking at the half-closed laptop.

"It's pretty rough, but I think so. It's all about the intensity of the playoffs, and how everyone happily rallies around everything hockey. I was afraid I wasn't going to get it done tonight."

"Why is that?"

"I was distracted."

"By your gorgeous boyfriend's amazing hockey skills?"

"No, by that crazy Don Cherry guy."

"He has that affect on people. I always find it hard to believe the tailors own up to making them and allow their name in the credits."

"Not only the that, but, Alice and I were talking, and I couldn't believe how much he picks on you. Yes your fight the other night was pretty low, and you are way better than that, but Cherry seems to only respect the big guys who fight every game, and not the smaller quick guys that score all the fantastic goals. I've seen some clips from old hockey games and I think without the speed of the game today, it's pretty boring. Sure the fights are great crowd-pleasers, but it's just a distraction until players like you get out there and do your thing. Sorry I'm rambling, but I just really didn't like the guy. He rubbed me the wrong way."

Edward had a big grin on his face. "Don't stop. I'm enjoying this. If someone told me months ago that the girl who got off the plane from Miami and bought Hockey for Dummies would have an opinion about Don Cherry, I would have laughed in their face. You just keep surprising me Bella."

"At least it's a good change. I doubt I'd still have this job if I didn't fall in love with the sport. My articles would have been really shallow, and I don't think I could have captured this world as much as I have. Or at least like I think I have."

"Of course you did. If someone who'd never met you read your articles, they would see how you've grown to love the sport and the people around you. It's really a beautiful thing to see."

"Beautiful? Really?"

"Yeah. It's really good writing Bella. You can just feel how you're growing and changing over time. It went from being a job, to being an entirely new life for you."

"You're a big part of that, you know."

"Yeah, but even without me, it's clear how much you've grown to love this world, and this sport. It's why you had so much support when the magazine canceled your January article. Everyone was engrossed in your writing and they wanted to hear what you had to say next."

"They wanted to hear about the amazing life you and your family lead. They would have loved it no matter who wrote it."

"See, there you're completely wrong. I can almost guarantee you that many of those people never would have been so excited for the articles were it not for the way that you write them. I get really into your work, and I lived it all. I didn't need to read about it, but I want to."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "You're really sweet for saying that."

"I believe it Bella. I know you have the exact same love and devotion for writing, as I do for hockey. It's so much a part of who you are. I love reading your work because of how much of yourself you put into it."

"I think that's why I've started to love hockey too, seeing the devotion of you and your team. I know how much it shapes your lives. I never appreciated sports like this before. It was always just entertainment. Now I can see it's your lifestyle; your first love. And I'm grateful to be a part of it."

"That's another thing I love about you, Bella Swan. Most people don't see that. They know I enjoy the sport and that I'm good at it, but most people - girlfriends in particular - see it as just a job, and they don't really understand that it's like the core to who I am."

"I think I knew that from the first day I met you."

"Yeah, I know." They were silent for a minute. "Bella, tell me you'll marry me."

"You know I will, but I don't want to put marriage on the table just yet. Once the season is over, and the articles are done, and when we somehow figure out a way to get through the PR mess that is sure to happen as soon as we go public, then I will let you ask me to marry you, but not before then."

"You're far too stubborn. You're lucky that you're worth the wait."

"Damn right I am."

"I think I'd wait for you forever if I had to…" he paused, "but don't make me wait that long please."

She responded by cuddling as close to him as she could.


	30. Chapter 29 - Old Enemy, New Battle

Chapter 29 –

It was game seven of the second round of the playoffs. The season was on the line, and it was tied 2-2 with five minutes left in the third period. Emmett was in the penalty box on a bullshit call for roughing, and the entire building was silent; Alice was the exception.

"Who the fuck calls roughing during the playoffs? It's supposed to be intense. He barely touched the guy. The ref needs to get his head checked."

"Calm down Alice, there's nothing we can do now," Esme reassured her. "They'll kill the penalty, don't worry."

"How are you so calm? This is the worst feeling ever," Bella replied. "I feel like my insides are all jumbled and it's possible that I might throw up."

"I've been through this a thousand times. It doesn't get any easier, but you just accept that it's out of our hands. The boys will get the job done."

"I think that's easier said than done," Rosalie said.

"I'd say so," Alice agreed.

The Edmonton players passed it back and forth, keeping Tristan on his toes. It was the standard approach for a power play. The four Avalanche players were doing their best to cover all five Edmonton players, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.

Finally the puck went to Jacob Black in the corner. It got passed to Tristan, but only a few feet in front of the net the puck was stopped by a diving Edward. The entire room cheered, and the cheer continued as Mike Newton got the puck and shot it directly down the ice. The Edmonton line needed to regroup as both teams made a change.

Edward's line watched as the Oilers regrouped, and then they were back down at the Avalanche end very quickly. It seemed to everyone in the room that the penalty clock was moving far too slow. Forty-five seconds left on the penalty. The Oilers second-line players were passing back and forth, waiting for the perfect time to shoot. Finally the puck was passed to the team's star, rookie Seth Clearwater. He one-timed it and it went quickly toward the net.

Jasper was in top form though. He blocked the quick shot with his left pad and it landed on the stick of an Avalanche player, who shot it out of the zone. The timing was absolutely perfect because as the puck passed the red line, the penalty expired and Emmett was immediately out of the box. He was ahead of the play, and he had a one-on-one chance against the Edmonton Goaltender.

He skated directly toward the goalie, faked the shot, and then backhanded it into the top corner of the net. The red light glowed and the buzzer went off. The entire building erupted in cheers. The players on the ice dog-piled Emmett. Alice was bouncing, and Rosalie and Bella both jumped up and hugged each other. Esme managed to keep her composer and simply clapped enthusiastically.

The room did not quiet down again. The crowd continued standing for the final two-and-a-half minutes of play. It was intense, especially when the Oilers pulled their goaltender to add an extra attacker. With only fifteen seconds left, Jasper blocked a shot and hit the puck as hard as he could. The puck bounced off of an Edmonton player and it was redirected straight down the ice and into the Edmonton net.

If it were possible, the crowd got even louder. It was certain now; the team was going to the Western Conference Final. 14.6 seconds later, it was official. The entire team crowded onto the ice and celebrated.

The ladies joined in on the celebration and hugged each other and high-fived random crowd members in the rows in front of them.

Bella was completely caught up in the excitement. It was such a great feeling to see the united happiness of the fans. She'd never really seen such a large group all feeling the exact same elation of complete happiness and couldn't compare it with anything she'd ever seen before. She'd never get used to it.

In all the excitement, Bella's thoughts continued to go back to Edward. How excited was he? What exactly was he thinking? She sought him out and could see the huge grin on his face as he hugged his teammates and took a few interview questions from several different sports reporters. She couldn't wait to see him when they got home.

As Edward headed up to Bella's apartment he was thinking about the game and was extremely happy about how they'd played. They were going to the Western Conference Finals. He'd never made it this far into the playoffs, and he couldn't help but think that it would only take eight more wins for him to achieve his ultimate dream: to become a Stanley Cup Champion.

There was a feeling he couldn't shake though. Yes it was only eight wins, but the first four of those would have to be against Detroit. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. If he beat the Red Wings, then James' picture would be released and Bella's career could be in jeopardy. Still he knew he would have to give it his all. He could never let down his family and his team, but he also wasn't sure if he would be able to put his whole heart into it.

When he reached the door and Bella let him in, she knew right away that there was something on his mind. "You should be happier than you are; you just made it to the Western Conference Finals. Why aren't you smiling?"

"I'm just worried about the next round."

"Don't think about that. Besides, you can beat Detroit. You've done it before. You should just let yourself be happy." She ushered him in and helped him out of his coat.

He took a deep breath as he sat down on the couch. "I think I need to tell you something."

"Should I sit down for this?" Edward nodded.

"James knows."

Bella was unsure of what he meant at first, but then the realization dawned on her. "About us?"

"When I got hurt in Detroit and you and Alice came down to see me, he was in the next room and he got a picture of us. If we win, or if James looks bad at any time during this series, he will release it to the world and he has a really bad story to go with it."

"Define 'really bad story.'"

"Not only is he going to tell the press that we've been lying to them the whole time, but he also intends to completely attack your character. He's going to tell them that you went for him first, and then moved on to me."

"In other words I'm a whore that sleeps with whatever famous guy I can get?"

"Yes."

"How long have you known?"

"He cornered me after the game that night."

"You should have told me, Edward. You were a disaster for weeks afterward."

"I know, but I don't want you to lose your job, or your credibility. I didn't want everyone else to worry. You know exactly how everyone would react, and the last thing this family needs is another thing to stress over. I figured we'd just deal with it when the time came, but clearly, this is it. He will release it during this series; it's just a matter of when."

"Edward. I don't care if I lose my credibility or whatever. If the world wants to believe the crazy story James came up with, let them. This is your time to fulfill your dreams. I don't want you to worry about whether or not I'm going to get hurt. You need to completely focus on the game right now."

"But I don't want to achieve my dreams while yours fall apart. I'd feel terrible if it was my fault that you lost your dream job."

"There will be other writing jobs. If the magazine dumps me and the whole world thinks I'm a whore, it'll be all right. I can write elsewhere. This might be your best chance at a Stanley Cup. Even I know that there are great players that have never won a cup. I don't want you to give up this chance."

"I wish it didn't have to be one or the other. My career or yours."

"It's not. It just means that maybe I'll have to wait a few more months. Loving someone means that you want to see them happy and get everything they ever wanted out of life. I would give up my job a million times over to see you get that. Besides, it's not only about you. If you lose this series, not only are your dreams gone, but so are those of the entire team. My particular job with this specific magazine is not worth putting it. You've all wanted this since you were children. I would never want to stand in the way. Besides, we knew that at the end of the season I'd be moving here. I'd already decidedto give up this job. I didn't expect it to happen on these terms, but we don't really plan our lives, do we?"

"No, sometimes things just happen."

"Exactly." She curled up and rested her head against his. "I cannot believe you've been dealing with this all by yourself for this long."

"Rose knew. I went to her for advice that night I got kicked out of the Edmonton game. She helped a lot."

"At least you weren't completely alone. Next time though, please come to me. I'm not a china doll. I won't break at the first sign of a rough patch."

"I happen to like taking on the role of your protector, Bella Swan."

"Well next time, don't let it be at the expense of your own sanity."

"Fair enough."

The Detroit series was a big deal. The two cities had a longstanding rivalry, and they both had excellent teams that were good enough to be the next Stanley Cup Champions. It would be a tough four wins for either side.

Edward knew he was a clear target from James. It was all any hockey announcer could talk about. "The Cullen Vs Stanton rivalry". Edward was also aware that several of the announcers expected him to get very badly hurt in whatever was to come. He knew it was a possibility, but so did Emmett. James was too much of a coward to try to start a fight with Emmett, but Emmett was not above starting one if James came near him.

The first game was a home game. The crowd's energy was amazing. Edward felt energized just during the warm-up. It was then that he realized how little James' threat actually mattered. He felt better that Bella knew, and that he had her permission to just let it go, but he also knew that no matter what had happened, he would not let James win by blackmailing him.

Both teams played well for the first two periods and there was no score going into the third. Edward had stayed safely out of James' way, but interestingly enough, James actually seemed more focused on the game than on Edward for once.

One minute into the third period James got an excellent goal past Jasper. The room went silent. It was as if all the energy of the room disappeared in that split-second. Edward took a deep breath and reminded himself that there were nineteen minutes left, and even if everything didn't go as planned, it was only game one.

With four minutes left in the period the crowd came alive again after Mike Newton scored a sloppy, but necessary, goal. Edward could barely hear himself think with all the screaming. He kept reminding himself that they needed just one more; just one.

The game went into overtime, with no score in first overtime. Second overtime came, still no score. When the buzzer went to signal the beginning of the third one, Edward's legs felt like lead. He was exhausted, and he saw it on the faces of his teammates too.

He came to the faceoff circle to face off against James. "Looking a little tired Cullen."

"Just watch the puck, Stanton."

The puck dropped, and Edward won the faceoff getting the puck behind him. Emmett passed it to Edward, but a Red Wing player intercepted and hit it back toward his own forward, who passed to James. James charged toward the net and had a slight breakaway. It was just him against Jasper.

He shot...

Jasper was too quick, and he blocked the puck and steered it right to the Emmett's stick, who passed forward to Tristan, who skated for the net. He took a shot, the goalie blocked it, the rebound went straight in front of the net, and Tristan and two Red Wings went for it. The puck made contact with a Red Wing stick and it floated away from the net. Edward was ready. He wound back and set up a perfect one-time shot that went into the traffic in front of the net. Then it hit a leg and went right between the pads of the goaltender.

The horn sounded, and the red light flashed. Game one was over.

Edward felt himself being engulfed in a team hug. The bench was cleared and the crowd was going wild. All he could think about was that they only needed seven more wins.

It felt like he was giving interviews for hours after the game. Edward was exhausted and when he got to his apartment stripped down to his underwear, and collapsed into bed. Bella followed without a word. "Sorry, I just need sleep. So tired."

"We can talk in the morning." Bella replied.

The next morning Edward woke and dreaded looking in the newspaper. He went out to the kitchen, saw it sitting on the island and slowly turned it toward him.

"There's nothing in it," Bella said as she came up behind him. "He didn't break the 'story' last night."

"He will eventually."

"Whatever. Who cares? If he does, then we know he's pissed, and if he's pissed that means good things are happening for the team. That's how I'm going to look at it."

"That's the only way to look at it. If I try to see the situation any other way, it just upsets me, and I cannot afford to let anyone else down."

"Or yourself; you can't let yourself down."

Edward smiled. "You just want the Avalanche to win so your last article can be a celebration about winning the cup."

"Shut up."

Game two was a win for Detroit. Again it was a close game. It was 2-1 right up until there was only thirty seconds left. Then the Red Wings got an empty-net goal that sealed the win for them.

Game three moved to Detroit. The energy in the building was about on par with the energy in Denver, but it was all in the opposite direction. The Red Wings won game three and for the first time, the Avalanche were trailing in the series.

Game four became crucial. If they won, they'd go back to Denver on equal footing. If they lost, they would be down by two games, which was a pretty deep hole to climb out of. During the game, James seemed to resort back to his previous terror tactics. He was apparently feeling more confident and comfortable they would advance, so he became the bully that he always was.

It backfired, and as he was taunting Edward, he got the puck and got right around James. He scored the second goal for the Avalanche that night, and it would end up being the game winning goal.

Edward finished his evening interviews and headed outside to get on the bus back to their hotel. James was there. He still looked pissed. "The little brunette can't mean that much to you."

"Fuck you," Edward replied.

"I'm just pointing out the obvious." Then he strutted off, hoping that he'd planted the seed of doubt in Edward's mind.

Yet again though, there was no article. James was waiting for something, probably the result of the series, before he went to the press. The whole ordeal was stressing Edward out terribly. He was still able to keep his mind on the game though. Bella was a huge help. Now that she knew, he was able to talk about what was going on and she could help calm him. He wasn't forced to keep it all hidden inside.

Game five went back to Denver and the home ice really was an advantage for the Avalanche. They took a commanding lead and won the game 4-1. One more game and the western conference was theirs. Unfortunately, all the momentum was on the side of the Red Wings. Nothing was going well for them. Edward couldn't get free of the defender assigned to him, and the rest of the offense just couldn't get anything going. The Wings took game six with a score of 3-0.

The seventh game would go back to Denver. On the morning of the game, Bella was out by herself, giving Edward some space to relax. It was about noon, and she had come up with a plan to deal with the James issue. Edward had far too much on his mind to worry about this anymore, so it was time for her to do something.

She pulled up to the hotel where she knew the Wings were staying and went to the front desk and casually asked to speak to James Stanton.

"Is he expecting you?" The young girl asked.

"Call him and tell him Isabella Swan is here to see him," she replied, not exactly answering the question. "He'll want to speak to me."

The girl picked up the phone, and Bella hoped her gamble would pay off and that he'd be curious to find out why she was there.. It couldn't hurt to try.

The girl hung up the phone. "He says he's unable to come down and meet you, but you can go up to his room. He's in 1228."

"Thank you." Bella replied and headed for the elevator.

As the elevator climbed, she almost lost her nerve, but decided that this was too important to chicken out at the last minute. She couldn't just do nothing while this man held her reputation in his hands..

She got to his room and knocked. It took a few seconds before he answered the door. "Well well well, if it isn't Edward's little reporter. No surprise that he couldn't keep his mouth shut. Did you finally get tired of him and want to visit a man worth your time?" He leaned against the doorframe not allowing her in, which was fine with her because she did not want to set foot in his room.

"Yeah right," she replied quickly. "I'm here about that horrendous lie that you intend to tell the press."

"I have proof of the two of you together. And you of all people should know that a picture is worth a thousand words. Don't they teach you that in journalism school? Everyone will believe me, and you know it. So unless you plan on stripping that pretty little dress off and letting me fuck you like the little whore that you are, I suggest you leave."

Bella forced herself to ignore the extremely vulgar insult and took a deep breath. "I don't give a damn if you tell the whole world Edward and I are together. We weren't going to keep it secret forever. I'm talking about the crap about me screwing you first. No girl in her right mind would take you over Edward Cullen, and since you have no picture proof of that, no one will believe it."

"Who cares if it's a lie? All it takes is one publication to print it and it will be out there for all to see. You'll look like a little whore who'll sleep with anyone with an ounce of fame, and you'll lose your precious little job at that magazine. Then the entire Cullen family will be ridiculed, especially after the whole New Year's Eve cover-up. I have nothing to lose by telling that story, except perhaps everyone knowing I screwed a nobody like you. Everyone you love has a lot to lose. So don't you come here acting like you matter at all. Don't think for a second you can tell me what to do. The Cullen family is going to suffer and there is nothing you can do about it." He shut the door in her face.

"We'll see about that," she said as she reached into her pocket and pressed the stop button to turn the recorder off.

That night, the Avalanche led the game 2-1 until there was three minutes left in the third when the Red Wings tied it up and the room went silent. Bella sat in the box clenching her fists in anticipation for most of the game. There was an intense feeling in the room. It was almost deadly quiet, as if any sound, including breathing, would hurt the concentration of the home team.

The clock wound down and Bella continued to dread the thought of overtime, which would be far more intense. With only forty-five seconds left it was looking even more likely that overtime was inevitable.

With thirty seconds left, the Red Wings got it into the Avalanche zone, but one quick interception by Tristan shot the puck out of the zone and he and Edward followed tit down the ice. They crossed the blue line, and Edward passed to Tristan, who passed it right back. He expected Edward to shoot, but the goalie expected that too, so Edward faked the shot and passed across the ice as the puck went right into Tristan's stick. He barely had the chance to tap the puck when it reached him, but it was all he needed. It went right above the pad of the Goaltender as he slid to face Tristan. The red light went off, the buzzer sounded, and the room erupted.

With twelve seconds on the clock, the Avalanche was ahead.

The faceoff was quick, and the twelve seconds even quicker. The Avalanche got the puck and just wasted time by passing it to each other. Then the game was over. The Avalanche had won the west.

Everyone celebrated. The two teams did a quick handshake, and then the team went back to celebrate as they waited for the trophy presentation. Up in the box, Bella wanted to join in, but she had something she needed to do. Come morning she may not have a job, but it needed to be done.

She gave the other ladies a hug then told them she had somewhere she needed to be. They looked at her as if she was crazy, but she didn't bother to explain.

She hopped into her car and drove to her destination, walking up to the first staff member she could find. "I need to speak to whoever is in charge tonight."

"That would be me," a loud booming voice came from behind her. She took a deep breath and turned around. It was time.

so for those of you who are not Canadian and have never seen Don Cherry before, here is the link to a facebook page dedicated to his suits.

pages/Don-Cherrys-Suits/213479331771

check out some of the photos, they are pretty crazy. There have been some ridiculous suits over the years.

And I know that SOME people do like Don Cherry and his lovely opinions about hockey, I as you may have noticed do not like him, and I think a lot of what he says and does is extremely stupid and ridiculous. No hard feelings to anyone who actually likes him, but I for sure do not. I think he is rude, arrogant, and he never even lets his own co-host speak during broadcasts. He also has his favorite players and teams, and anyone who tries to disagree with him finds themselves being verbally attacked by Cherry. He's old school, and I respect that, but people can be old school without being a jerk.

But as much as I dislike him, I also accept that he is a big part of Canadian Hockey, so even if he is an idiot who dresses bad I decided he needed a place in my story, just to represent :)

So tell me what you think. I love reviews :)


	31. Chapter 30 - Nothing Left to Hide

Sorry that the last chapter was a bit of a cliffhanger, but at least you didn't need to wait long. Here's #30

Chapter 30 -

Bella arrived back at Edward's apartment hoping that he would be okay with what she'd done. She took a deep breath in preparation when the door opened and she was immediately swept up into Edward's arms. He spun her around then set her down, but never took his hands off her.

"Where have you been?" he asked. "You know what? Never mind. I don't care. You're here now." He grinned from ear-to-ear. "This has been the greatest night so far in my entire career. It was the best feeling ever to get that trophy. Bella, this could be the year! We could actually win the cup. I was on that ice and all I could think about was sharing it with you. I'm pretty sure if you had come down there, I would have given away everything."

Bella knew at that moment she couldn't tell him. He was like a little boy on Christmas and the last thing she wanted to do was ruin this moment for him. Tonight was for Edward. They could deal with whatever tomorrow would bring when it came.

"So how about a private celebration, just the two of us?" Bella said with a wink. Instead of answering, he lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her. He kissed her as he set her down on the edge of the bed and took her shoes off. Then he stood and pulled his t-shirt off as she slipped out of her clothes. When everything was removed, they fell onto the bed together.

Their pace slowed as Edward kissed her lazily, and then lifted his head so he could watch her. Smiling up at him, she couldn't quite place the look he had on his face, but it made her feel ecstatic, beautiful, and completely uneasy at the same time. She didn't know how she could feel all those things at the same time, but nothing had ever prepared her for Edward. In that look alone she knew everything would be okay, simply because he was there. The moment got so intense that after a few seconds she broke it by pulling his face toward her and kissing him.

Several hours later, Bella lay awake in bed wondering what would happen when Edward saw the morning paper. The story about the Clarence Campbell trophy wouldn't be the only one worth reading. She wasn't sure how long she lay awake thinking about it, but it would be the first thing on her mind when she awoke.

When morning did come, she opened her eyes to find Edward missing. She slipped on his robe and went out into the kitchen where she found him engrossed in the morning paper. "Are you mad?" she asked, leaning against the doorframe.

He quickly looked up, startled that she was awake and standing there. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to stress about it." Still unable to read what he was thinking, she took a few steps toward him.

"You shouldn't have gone to his hotel room. What if things had gone differently?"

"What he was intending to say would have made things much worse, and you know it. This way I went to a credible paper and beat him to the punch, while also proving him a liar," she said, defending herself. "So I wrote a story admitting to our relationship, and explaining the cover-up this January. We'll take some flak for that because we lied about it, but I made it clear why we did it: to protect the integrity of my articles and to keep people focused on your career, and not your relationships. I figured that going to Mr. Denali was my best choice; regardless of his offspring, he's extremely credible. Guaranteed I'll be fired for this, but there were only two more articles to go anyway. This way we've got the upper-hand, and anything James says now will be seen as a lie. I'm sorry you're upset, but I just wanted to deal with it so you could put your focus into your last game against Detroit. ."

"Bella I'm not mad, I just wish you'd told me. Remember when we had that talk about how I don't need to protect you? Well you don't need to protect me either. I can handle the game and whatever is going on between me and you at home. You can't let me live in a bubble during the season; it puts too much pressure on you."

"You're right. I'm sorry, Edward."

There was a short pause, and then he smiled. "So you actually went to Denali and just handed him this story?"

"I demanded to speak to whoever was in charge, and he happened to be there. I told him he could have my side to an exclusive story, but he had to print it in my own words."

"You wrote the article?"

"Yep. I told him I'd give him all the original evidence and he could do whatever he wanted with the follow-up stories, but the first one would be mine"

"It's a good article."

"You sound surprised."

"Not by the good writing. I now you're talented. You just continually surprise me in general. Most women would be terrified of the risk of losing something they cared about as much as you do about your job, but not you. You just walk right into the fire."

"A few months back I don't think I would have had the guts to do it. You're a big part of who I've become." He walked over and wrapped his arms around her. She tucked her head under his chin and felt instantly better.

"Good. I like my strong, brave Bella. I might even love her."

"Might?"

"Might," He confirmed. She pulled back and jokingly punched him in the stomach and they both laughed.

The light-hearted moment was not destined to last; suddenly there was a loud knock on the door. "I bet you twenty dollars it's Alice," Edward said quickly.

"No, it'll be Esme," Bella replied.

They hurried to the door to see who was right.

It turned out they both were. The whole family stood there. Carlisle explained, "Esme and I ran into Emmett and Rose as we came into the building. Alice and Jasper were waiting at the elevator already."

Alice burst passed her cousin. "Oh my God Bella, did you write this? Like, actually write it? What made you tell them? You're almost done with your articles."

"You did it because of James, right?" Rosalie asked. The entire room turned to her looking for an explanation.

"You didn't tell them?" Edward asked.

"I figured it would be easier to let you explain,"

Everyone began talking at once.

"Come in, and I'll tell you what happened," Edward said over the din.

When he finished giving them the entire story, there was a long pause before anyone spoke. Finally Esme took charge.

"We've gotten several calls at the house already, and I'm sure the arena has received some too. Do you want to hold a press conference or stay silent? My opinion is that it's probably better to talk about it, but maybe after the playoffs."

Edward said, "No, we'll hold a press conference today, and I'll handle it. Since everything is out in the open now, I don't have to worry about letting something slip. But they leave Bella alone. All questions will be directed to me."

Bella eyed him. "Do you remember the conversation we had about not protecting each other?"

Esme said, "No offense Bella, since I know you're a member of the press, but you don't want to stand in front of those reporters and answer questions. They can be brutal."

"Of course I don't, but Edward doesn't need it either. You should all be focusing on the next four wins, and not all this drama. I'm a big girl; I can handle it. Let's do a press conference together. Then it feels like we have nothing to hide from anyone."

"Bella, I don't think—" Edward began.

"No she's right," Carlisle said, cutting him off. "If we attempt to keep Bella out of the limelight, it will look like we're hiding something."

Rosalie concurred. "Yeah, someone will spot a baby bump or an engagement ring in a matter of days if we don't confront them head-on."

Bella heard her phone vibrate from the counter. Taking a quick look, she saw the office number on her caller id. "I guess it's time for Bella to join the ranks of the unemployed," she joked.

Edward opened his mouth to say something, but she just shook her head and turned to go take the call in her room. "Isabella Swan. What were you thinking?" came Angela's agitated voice when she answered. At least her firing would come from her friend.

"The alternative was worse." Bella gave her a quick replay of the events with James and her counter-attack. "So how mad is everyone?"

"The powers-that-be wanted me to talk to you first so they had a chance to calm down."

"Always a good sign."

"Maybe if you explain the situation with James Stanton."

"Angela, I lied to their faces in January. Not only that, but I admitted it in a different publication. Guaranteed, I no longer have a job, and I accept that."

"Uh, they're finished with their meeting. I'm being beckoned into the meeting room."

"Okay."

"They want me to put you on speaker in there."

"Here goes."

A few seconds passed, and then she heard the stern voice of her boss. "Miss Swan."

"Yes?"

"First let me say your actions were unacceptable. What were you thinking? You've thrown a negative light on all of us. And to top it all off, you created a scandal in a separate publication. After your disaster in January, I expected you to be on your best behaviour. You should know that your position is terminated as soon as your final article is completed in June."

"Yes I understand...wait, after they're completed?" Bella was at a loss for words. Edward appeared in the doorway and gave her a puzzled look. She waved him away and heleft.

"Yes. It would cost us far too much to do otherwise. Mrs Cullen took the necessary precautions to prevent me from continuing these articles with a new writer, and the advertisers won't let me abandon them."

"What necessary precautions? I don't understand."

They ignored her question. "Miss Swan, you're very lucky you have so many people looking out for you. Angela will clear out your office and send you your belongings. As of this moment, we will cease all contact and you will only communicate with her. In addition, please do not expect any recommendations. Good luck with your future career."

Bella heard them turn the phone off speaker and after a few seconds, Angela's voice came on the line.

"How're you doing?" She asked.

"Will you tell me what's going on?"

"First of all, after the January incident Mrs. Cullen made the magazine sign a contract that only you would write these articles. Second, like he said, the advertisers threatened to pull out. They saw the fan response to the actions taken against you."

"I had no idea."

"I figured. Thanks, by the way. With you gone, this is all falling on me."

"I'm sorry Angela, I never meant for that to happen. Is there anything I can do to make this all easier for you? I only went public because of the pressure on Edward."

"Bella I was kidding. I'll gladly take all this crap in exchange for seeing you happy. You belong in Colorado, so don't let this job get you down. Go enjoy these next few weeks. I hope the Avalanche win, not because of these articles, but because they deserve it. So go be happy. I'll survive the craziness here."

"You're amazing Angela."

"I know. I'll talk to you soon. Tell your Boy Toy good luck from me."

"I will, thanks," She replied.

Bella hung up ] and went back to the family. Turning to Esme, she said, "Why didn't you tell me you forced them to have me finish the articles?"

"It wasn't necessary. All we cared about was that you could come home and be able to keep your job."

"You're just full of surprises." Bella said as she hugged her. "Thank you for this."

"You're a part of this family now, and you should know by now that we take care of each other."

There was a knock at the door. "Reporters?" Bella asked.

"Doubtful. Building security wouldn't allow them up here," Carlisle replied. "It's one of the reasons we recommend this building for team members." He headed over to the door, looked out the peephole, and said, "That's unexpected." When he opened the door, there stood Mr. Denali.

"Good morning," Carlisle said as they shook hands.

"Good Morning. I assume your family read the article. Miss Swan said most of you were in the dark."

"Yes, we've gotten the gist of it."

"I would also assume you're planning to do a press conference sometime today?" Mr. Denali asked.

"We'll be holding one as soon as we get it all organized, yes. We'd like to get most of the chaos over and done with before the next series begins."

"Fair enough; I can see the merit in that. I came because I complied with the requests of Miss Swan last night, and I ask a favour in return: No press conference, but instead a private interview with a writer from the newspaper."

"I don't think we can do that," Carlisle replied. "If we don't have the press conference, we'll be hounded until we do."

"That's unfortunate." Mr. Denali actually looked genuinely disappointed.

"However," Bella cut in, winking at Edward, "I will not be taking part in the press conference. It will just be Edward, Carlisle, and Esme. What we can give you is an exclusive interview for a human interest piece with me and Edward. We reserve the right to not answer certain questions, but it would be an exclusive." Edward nodded in agreement; he liked the idea that Bella wouldn't have to be at the press conference, but with minimal speculation as to why.

"How long will we have the exclusive?" Mr. Denali asked.

"Until after the end of the series, but not after the Stanley Cup is awarded," Edward replied.

"Deal," Denali agreed. "Will you be available after the press conference?"

"We'll go straight to the office."

"Good. I'll see you then." He turned toward the door. "Have a good day everyone."

After he left, Bella looked around and said, "That was weird."

"That's what he's like. He comes in, gets what he wants, and gets out," Esme replied.

"Yeah apparently."

Edward stood in front of the crowd. So far the press conference had gone fairly well. Some members seemed upset that Bella was not attending, but he made it clear from the beginning that she had told her story through the article.

"In light of all that's happened, will Miss Swan's current articles be continuing?"

"Yes, and then afterward she'll be moving permanently to Denver," Esme answered calmly.

"So she was fired?"

"Bella will no longer be writing for _Woman Today Magazine_."

"So she was fired?"

"We are not privy to the reasons for Bella's departure. That is between her and the magazine."

"Any other questions?" Carlisle said.

"Have you had any contact with James Stanton or any of his people?"

"We have no intention of initiating contact with him. Our focus now is the final series," Edward replied. "On that note, we have a lot to prepare for. I thank you for your time, and look forward to speaking to you all again, only next time the subject will be hockey. As far as I and my family are concerned, we will not be revisiting this subject."

"And I I'll warn you now, if it's brought up during the series, we will discontinue any interviews or press conferences," Carlisle added.

With that they finished up and headed for the door. Edward met up with Bella who'd been writing in Carlisle's office.

"You ready for the all-important interview?" Edward asked her.

"No, I don't like being the interviewee."

He put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. "It'll be all right."

They headed out toward the parking lot where an unexpected group of reporters and photographers were waiting. Edward leaned close to Bella's ear and whispered, "Just keep walking, and don't say anything."

"Mr. Cullen would you..."

"We just have one question for you..."

"Miss Swan, Mr. Cullen..."

They finally made it to the car. "I guess it was too much to hope this would die down right away," Bella said, more than a little worried.


	32. Chapter 31 - A Center Ice Finale

So we have come to the last chapter (except for a very short epilogue after this), and as I've already said-I am grateful that you all have decided to read this story straight through. It means a lot to me. Please review if you have the chance.

Chapter 31 –

"So what are you intending to do once you move to Denver, Miss Swan? Are you and Edward moving in together perhaps?" Maria Hernandez, the interviewer for The Denver Herald was beginning to piss Bella off. She was not used to being asked so many personal questions.

"We haven't quite figured that out just yet. I still have the apartment for a few more weeks, and from there we'll see. For now, the focus has been on his hockey and my writing."

As the interview began to wind down, Bella was feeling a little bit better about everything, but then she was caught off-guard .

"So Edward, were you aware of what Bella was planning? Did you know she was going to expose the relationship?"

"Well, I didn't know entirely what she was planning, but-"

"So you found out after the article was published. That's interesting-"

"That's not what I said."

"Were you upset by the way she chose to tell the world?"

Bella had been worried about how he'd answer this question. Everything had happened so fast, they hadn't had time to prepare.

"Of course not. The only reason Bella and I were staying quiet is because we didn't want to call her integrity into question. We knew that her magazine would see it as a conflict of interest, and although we didn't agree, we felt it was best to keep it quiet. If that wasn't the case, we would have come out publicly a long time ago."

"You didn't see it as a conflict?"

"Of course not. Bella's job is to write about the lives of the women behind the players. I may appear in her work, but I wasn't the focus of it. Her bosses saw it differently, so we kept things quiet to allow Bella to continue to write her articles. However, when the situation with James Stanton arose, Bella felt that this was the best way to handle it, and I respect her decision."

"It's just odd she didn't inform you beforehand." Bella was beginning to feel as if Ms. Hernandez was ignoring her presence entirely.

"Well Bella cares for me, and she knew how important the next few games were to me and my career, so she felt it was best to handle it without adding more pressure to the stress I was already under. Besides, it was her character that would have been slandered by Stanton's accusations, and who am I to argue if she wants to protect her own reputation?" Bella couldn't help but smile.

There was a brief pause, and Edward took the opportunity to end the interview. "I feel that covers everything that needs to be discussed today."

"Yes, this should answer a lot of the issues the fans have been wondering about." Ms. Hernandez replied. "You two have a lovely day and good luck with the upcoming series," she said as she shook both their hands.

Bella and Edward headed out. "Let's never do that again okay?" Bella said.

"I think we can keep you on the other side of the interview process from now on." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Did you mean what you said in there? We haven't had a lot of time to talk about everything. Are you mad I never asked you before I took action?" she asked, not sure she wanted the truthful answer.

"Bella, I asked you to marry me a few weeks back, do you really think I care if everyone knows we're together? I do wish you had asked for my help, but only because I hate that you had to deal with it all on your own. I'm not mad about what you did. In fact, it feels great that I don't have to worry about who may be around when I touch you. I like that I can take you on an actual date; most of all though, I love that I can stop and kiss you just because I want to." As proof, he backed her up into his car and kissed her slowly and deeply. "Do you believe me now?" he asked when they broke the kiss. She just nodded in response.

It was time: The last game of the Stanley Cup Final was about to begin. Edward stood on the ice as the national anthem played and he rocked back and forth on his skates in an attempt to channel his excess excitement. He was trying without success to ignore how nervous he was. Hockey was second-nature to him, and it never made him nervous. Then again, he had never stood here before.

The last two weeks were a blur. The Avalanche and the Rangers had traded wins back and forth for the first six games. They would win and be up by a game, and then lose the next. Now here they were. It was game seven and if they lost tonight, it was all over and the upcoming summer would be dismal at best. But if they won – he stopped his thoughts from going further. He could not get ahead of himself. There were sixty minutes that he needed to worry about first.

He noticed that the anthem had ended as he tried to work out his thoughts. After a quick skate he was facing his opponent, and preparing for the initial puck drop. Taking a deep breath, he glanced around him. Emmett stood behind him to his left, and Tristan was next to him on his right, both focused and ready to begin. Over the screams of the home crowd, he heard the familiar sound of blades gliding on the ice as the referee made his way to the center circle. Another deep breath and he gripped his stick firmly, his eyes now fixed on the small black piece of rubber he'd spent his entire life chasing. This was it.

The referee held the puck out and Edward watched as if in slow motion as it fell to the ice. Instinctively, as he had done countless times before, his stick hit the ice and he scooped the puck to his right where Tristan was ready to take it forward. The game had begun.

Bella watched from the private box that had practically been a second home these past eight months, but the uncertainty in the air made everyone uneasy. During every breakaway there was a sharp intake of breath, and every save jasper made was followed by a sigh of relief. No one spoke during play, and few words were exchanged between periods. No one underestimated the importance of this game, which remained scoreless during the entire first period. Even though both goaltenders were playing flawlessly, someone had to score soon because in hockey, it's impossible to stop everything.

On a Ranger power play midway through the second period, the defenseman passed to an open wingman who anticipated the pass and one-timed the shot perfectly right between his left leg pad and his arm. The red light flashed and the room went silent. It was as if all the air had been sucked out of the arena. The Avalanche were losing.

The score held throughout the second period, and well into the third, and the room's energy had been severely depleted. There were less than four minutes remaining and it was as if the team had simply run out of gas. Carlisle saw it and when the whistle blew, he took a risk and used his time out.

The team gathered around the boards and Carlisle began his pep-talk. "Come on guys. We're better than this. We need one goal and then we can take them to overtime." He thought for a moment. "Okay, here's what we are going to do: Mike, you're coming off, and we're putting four forwards on. Emmett you're the only defense we've got."

"Are you sure that's a good idea coach?" Edward asked. "If they get a chance and we don't have two defensemen, we'll be down by two."

"But if we don't put some pucks on net we'll still be down by one, and time will run out. We need to take some risks here. If we don't spark something we'll lose, and I'm not really in the mood to see our season end like this." The team nodded in agreement. "Okay, Edward, we're going to make them think we're going for a point shot. Whoever gets the puck, pass it to Emmett." He looked to his son. "Then you pass to Edward." Then to Edward "You'll fake the shot and pass to Tristan in front, who will take the shot. Got it?" The team nodded.

The timeout finished quickly and the players were back on the ice. The puck dropped and Edward headed to the corner opposite Emmett. Tristan got the puck and passed it back to Emmett, who skated to his spot in front of the net. Emmett made a quick move to prevent the Ranger from poking the puck away from him and then he passed it across to Edward, who made it look as if he was going to take a shot. As the Ranger dove to block it, he shifted the stick a little and sent the puck perfectly to Tristan who was now free of his defender who had also dove to block the non-existent shot.

Tristan pulled his stick back, and as it came forward, he lifted the puck just enough for it to sail above the left pad of the Ranger goaltender. The buzzer sounded, the room erupted, and the Avalanche were back in the game.

There were three minutes remaining and both teams were playing hard, neither of them really wanting to go to overtime, but if it was necessary they'd be ready for it. The puck went back and forth several times, and the goaltenders were forced to make great saves.

The announcer called that there was one minute remaining in regulation time and if possible, the game got even more intense. The first thirty seconds of the final minute were spent in the Colorado zone where Jasper made three great saves and after the third, there was a long rebound. Edward grabbed the puck and shot it forward to Emmett at the blue line, then quickly turned and hurried to the opposite net, a Ranger on his heels.

Tristan was faster than the player who was covering him and he was able to get ahead and near Emmett. Emmett saw his teammate and passed sideways to him, figuring Tristan would have the better shot.

Tristan shot the puck and just as the rest of the teams caught up with the play, the puck bounced off the crossbar and back onto the ice in front of the net, coming straight to Edward. Without even realizing how he did it, he had the puck on his stick and shot it toward the net. This time it hit the post, but bounced off the shoulder of the Ranger goaltender and fell perfectly into the white netting.

The buzzer sounded again and Edward was jumped on by his own teammates. There was less than a minute remaining in the game, only twenty –two seconds to be exact, and the Avalanche were up by a goal.

The crowd didn't quiet down as the two teams lined up for what would be the final puck drop of the game. Edward won the face-off, and passed the puck behind him to Emmett, who passed to Newton, who passed back to Edward. They were simply trying to keep the puck away from the other team and run out the timer.

After what seemed to be the slowest twenty-two seconds ever, the buzzer sounded and the game was over. The bench emptied and the players were all on the ice celebrating. Sticks, gloves and helmets soon were scattered across the ice in celebration and the crowd got even louder.

Edward skated over to Emmett and they hugged. "How does it feel?"

"Ask me again when it's sunk in." He couldn't keep the smile off his face. "God! We won the Stanley Cup!"

"Greatest day ever?" Edward asked.

Emmett laughed. "Just don't tell Rose."

They were soon joined by Jasper, and hugging ensued again.

The excitement calmed down a little, and the teams did a quick handshake, followed by the Rangers leaving the ice with their sticks held high, saluting the winners and the fans. Sports reporters filled the ice to get ready for the cup presentation, and Edward, Emmett, and Jasper were approached to do an interview with CBC's Hockey Night In Canada. They stood with their arms around each other's shoulders and answered the expected questions. "Did you ever imagine this?" "What does it feel like to win the Stanley Cup standing alongside your closest friends and family?"

As they were being interviewed, the red carpet was rolled out and a table brought onto the ice. Then they brought out the Conn Smythe trophy, which was awarded to the MVP of the playoffs. The arena was on their feet and screaming for their team.

The NHL commissioner appeared with a microphone and congratulated the team, announcing Edward as the inner of the Conn Smythe. At that exact moment, Edward was still answering questions and didn't even hear his name being called. Emmett slapped him on the back. "Go up there and get your trophy so they can bring out the cup," he joked.

Edward looked at him, confused. "You won the Conn Smythe," the CBC reporter told him.

"Oh" he replied, and hurried over. He took a quick picture with the trophy, picked it up, and then skated toward the bench where the trophy was grabbed by a gentleman in a suit. Carlisle stood nearby and Edward gave him a hug.

"How does it feel?" he asked.

"I can't even describe it. It's the most amazing feeling."

"Soak it in for all it's worth. Nothing will ever feel like this again." He hugged his uncle again. "Now go over there and get ready to hold the cup." Edward skated off with the biggest grin ever.

The commissioner said, "I would like to congratulate the Colorado Avalanche for their spectacular season. Edward Cullen, why don't you come over here and take your Stanley Cup?" Edward skated over and put one hand on the top, and the other on the bottom, and the commissioner did the same as a quick picture was taken. The commissioner let go and finally Edward got to do what he'd always dreamed of: Hoist the Stanley Cup high above his head.

The moment was surreal. He lifted it up and yelled in celebration. The crowd screamed once again and he savored the few seconds he got to skate the ice holding the cup. Afterward, it was time to share the moment, and he handed it to o Tristan.

He was approached again by another reporter and began a second interview very similar to the first. As he was being interviewed he saw Emmett , and then Jasper, skate over to the sidelines, and he knew it was the time when the families of the teams came down. As soon as his eyes locked on the beautiful brunette that he'd fallen madly in love with, he stopped the reporter mid-question. "Give me a minute. I'll be right back," he said, and then skated past him.

"Bella!" he exclaimed and scooped her up into his arms, spinning her around. As he did this, the camera followed him and he held her in his arms and kissed her before finally setting her down.

There were tears in her eyes and the biggest smile on her face. "This is amazing! I'm so happy for you! Edward, you won!" She hugged him again. "I'm completely excited and at a loss for words. I can just imagine how you're feeling right now."

"I don't even know how I'm feeling, but as soon as I saw you, I knew I couldn't be any happier. Bella I love you so much and I'm so glad I'm sharing this with you. I can't even describe how happy I am right now."

The reporter made his way to the couple. "So this must be the women the whole city has been abuzz about. Miss Swan, I assume?"

"Yes," she replied happily.

"How are you feeling right now? How proud are you of your boyfriend?"

"I feel so happy for everyone. Edward and the entire team were amazing. I'm so glad to see their dream come true. This team and this city could not deserve it more."

"Well said." The reporter replied. "Well, I'll let the two of you go celebrate some more. It seems like there's a little crowd ready to congratulate you."

He was right. Beside them stood the rest of the family. Edward pulled Esme Rose and Alice into a big hug and they congratulated him.

"Hey, Cullens!" They turned to see Jasper. "We're going to do the picture." Emmett and Edward, along with Carlisle, hurried over and Edward sat down while Emmett dove in front of the group and they all posed for the traditional Stanley Cup photo. When they were finished, the celebration continued. The crowd was still on their feet screaming, and it seemed like not a single person had left the arena.

After everyone dispersed from center ice, Edward remained. He looked out into the crowd, savoring everything he could about this moment and trying to keep it all in his mind forever. This excitement, the feeling of triumph, was something that he never wanted to forget. He looked at the faces of his teammates; they were his second family. They had seen each other through so much over the past year and now they all stood as happy as he'd ever seen them. The moment was almost surreal.

Then he looked at his family. They truly had seen him through everything for his entire life. They'd been there for him through it all: the ups and downs, every practice, every tryout, and every game. He knew he never would have made it to this moment without them, and he would be eternally grateful to them for helping him get here. He was so glad he could share it with them. He thought briefly of those he couldn't share it with, but he was sure that his parents were somewhere out there, celebrating with him in their own way.

Finally he looked to Bella; his Bella. She had brought the missing piece to his life that he wasn't even sure had been missing up until he met her, and there wasn't anyone else he'd rather share this moment with. Realizing he was looking at her, she slowly shuffled toward him. He met her halfway and steadied her so she wouldn't fall.

"So you've achieved your dream. Is this the perfect moment you've always hoped for?" she asked him.

Smiling, he reached into the collar of his jersey and pulled out a chain, yanking it off his neck and pulling something off of it. He took Bella's left hand in his right and said, "It will be." Then he paused and she looked him in the eye as he lowered down to one knee and opened his other hand to reveal a princess-cut diamond solitaire ring. "If you tell me you'll marry me."

Bella's initial shock disappeared as she smiled and nodded through her tears. And right there at center ice, Edward had his perfect moment.


	33. Epilogue

Epilogue –

"I can't believe you're actually getting married today!" said a very pregnant Alice as she zipped Bella into her ridiculously overpriced, but gorgeous wedding gown in their hotel suite.

"I know right? This year has just flown by," Bella replied. She couldn't help but think back to the events that had brought her to her wedding day.

She found it hard to believe it had been a year since the Avalanche had won the Stanley Cup. It felt like it had only been a few weeks since Edward's proposal. The weeks following the win were full of public appearances with the cup, team events, and tons of wedding talk. She had barely gotten used to the idea that she was engaged when she was bombarded with constant wedding questions.

They had gone to Las Vegas for the NHL Awards soon after the finals, where for the first time since Bella's article, they came across James at the casino of their hotel. The result was that James spent the night in prison and his publicist sent him back to Detroit to avoid the press at the award show. When all was said and done, thanks to the many people who witnessed the showdown, James was accurately represented as the villain, and she and Edward got away unscathed.

The rest of the Las Vegas trip had been a great escape for the entire Cullen family. Not only was it an excellent chance for Alice to do a ton of the planning for her own wedding, but Rosalie and Emmett announced that they were going to have a baby. Alice almost stopped wedding shopping altogether and focused on baby shopping, but Esme was able to convince her that the wedding would come before the baby. It was finally a chance for Bella and Edward to spend some time together without the stress of hockey, her job, or the press. With all of the NHL elite in attendance, they were not the center of attention for the entire trip. The memories of the week they spent in Vegas made them decide to hold their wedding at the Bellagio hotel after the NHL awards the following season.

So after a September wedding for Alice and Jasper, in which Rosalie was six-and-a-half months pregnant, she gave birth to a little girl they named Michelle on the fourth of December . Emmett had joked for the entire pregnancy about how he was going to raise his son to be the next big hockey sensation, but when his little girl was born, he was the happiest man alive and if you listened closely, you could often hear him promising her ponies and whatever her little heart desired.

It wasn't long after Michelle was born that Alice announced that she and Jasper were having a baby as well. Unlike Rosalie, she couldn't wait to find out the baby's gender, and she and Jasper were happy to report that in early July they would be having a baby boy.

Bella was extremely happy for everyone, and she couldn't wait to officially become part of the family. Everything with Edward was seemingly perfect, and after a summer of spending almost every minute together, the new season started and they fell back into the familiar hockey schedule.

She moved into Edward's apartment and had done a few freelance articles for random publications until February, when she was hired by none other than Mr. Denali. She would have a weekly article in the local entertainment section, where she would write on different events happening around the city. The best part was that she was still able to travel with the Cullens and be at the majority of the Avalanche games.

The job wasn't a top-paying career, but she was happy that she got to have the best of both worlds, and she was also beginning to grow accustomed to the scrutiny that came with dating a local hero. She hardly flinched when the press would question the integrity of her relationship with the rich and famous Edward Cullen, and she was getting better at simply shaking off whatever they had to throw at her.

The Avalanche did not win the Stanley Cup for a second year in a row, but they had finished top of their division and been a strong contender in the playoff race. They lost in the Western Conference Final to the Calgary Flames, who went on the win the cup.

Bella's thoughts were interrupted by Rosalie, Renee, and Esme rushing into the room in a slight panic. Michelle had spit up on Rosalie's dress and they were hurrying to clean it up and attempt to prevent a stain.

Bella just laughed and grabbed the baby from her grandmother, allowing Esme to help with the cleaning. "You didn't mean it now, did you sweetheart? You're still the sweetest little girl in the world, I'm sure of it."

Alice, who had run to get supplies for the dress cleaning, stopped in her tracks. "Bella, put that baby into her playpen this instant. What if she throws up again?"

"Then I go down the aisle with baby puke on my dress. I really don't care, and Edward probably wouldn't either."

"Well I do, and since I'm a hormonal pregnant woman, you will listen to me and put the child down." Bella glared at her, but Alice just rushed over and covered her front with a towel. She said, "There, I win," and then went back to getting Rosalie cleaned up.

A few minutes later Charlie came into the room to collect the women because the ceremony was starting. Bella couldn't keep the smile off of her face. Pretty soon she was going to be Bella Cullen, and she couldn't wait. She took her place and then the wedding music began and the doors opened. Bella locked eyes with Edward, and she pretty much forgot about everything else around her.

The ceremony was a bit of a blur, and it felt like only minutes had passed when the Minister said "You may now kiss your bride" and he did. They were finally married. The small crowd of guests cheered as Edward and Bella walked down the aisle as a married couple.

On their way to their suite, they were congratulated several times by people on the casino floor as they passed. When they were finally alone, Edward kissed her again. "I've missed you all morning. You look beautiful, Mrs. Cullen."

Bella grinned. "Say that again please."

"I've missed you all morning," he joked, then kissed her lightly. "Mrs. Cullen," he whispered.

"I can't believe we finally-"

"I know," he cut her off. "It's amazing. You have no idea how much I love you."

"Of course I do, because you can't possibly love me more than I love you."

"That might be true, I'm very lovable," he joked. She just shook her head and smiled.

A short while later they headed to the reception where they were greeted with hugs and congratulations from their friends and family.

Bella got a quick hug from Emmett who was holding Michelle, and Bella scooped her up. "Our beautiful little flower girl did an excellent job this afternoon."

"She's a smart one, she takes after her father," Emmett joked. "Don't tell Rose I said that."

"You're terrible, you know that?"

"Yep, and now that you're officially part of the family, you're stuck with me."

She looked down at the baby. "If the trade-off is that I get to spoil this little creature excessively, then I guess I'll put up with you."

Edward approached them. "You'll get used to ignoring him, I promise. Two years is hardly enough time to practice," he joked.

"He's probably right about that," Emmett replied. "Want me to take her while you greet everyone?"

"May I hold her a little longer?"

"Sure, but if she pukes on your dress, I'm telling Alice it's your fault." They all laughed.

Edward ran his hand along the top of his baby cousin's head. "I think we need to get ourselves one of these."

"I don't think so. Stealing babies is frowned upon, and somewhat illegal."

"This is true."

"I guess we'll just have to do it the old-fashioned way and make one."

Edward grinned. "I think I can commit to that. Even if it means we need to work at it every day, I'll make that commitment."

"I'll hold you to that, Mr. Cullen."

"Good." He wrapped his arms around her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Are you happy?" he asked. "Is this everything you've ever wanted?"

"You already know the answer to the first question, and yes, I wouldn't trade this moment for anything." She turned her head to the side and gave him a quick kiss. "It's perfect."

He smiled at her. "You're right about that."

One thing was for sure: She'd go through everything again if it meant ending up here.

So Thanks again for reading this story, and thanks for all the excellent comments that you have given me. I never imagined that I'd have this many people interested in my little Cullen hockey fantasy story for the second time. You all have been great, and again, HUGE thanks for reading this one!


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